Toronto police superintendent demoted for helping black officers cheat on exams
https://tnc.news/2024/08/29/tps-superintendent-demoted-black-officers-cheat/
The first black woman superintendent of the Toronto Police Service has been demoted for a minimum of two years over a cheating scandal.
Former Superintendent Stacy Clarke pleaded guilty to seven counts of professional misconduct in May for her involvement in helping six Black constables cheat on their promotional exams. A ruling on her conduct was handed down by the police tribunal on Wednesday.
During the May hearing, Clarke described her experience as “traumatic, painful, and disorienting,” adding that her actions were driven by a sense of frustration and despair over the perceived systemic barriers she faced within the service.
All of the instances of professional misconduct occurred in 2021, the year after Clarke was promoted to Superintendent when she became the first black female officer to hold that rank in the Toronto Police Service.
In May, police prosecutor Scott Hutchison recommended a harsher penalty for Clarke, advocating for a two-year demotion across two ranks, according to CP24. His proposal would have reduced Clarke by two ranks to staff sergeant for one year, followed by a year as an inspector, one rank below superintendent, before she could reapply for her former position.
Clarke’s lawyer, Joseph Markson, argued for a shorter demotion period of 12 to 18 months to the rank of inspector, with automatic reinstatement to superintendent afterwards.
The hearing officer ruled that automatic reinstatement was inappropriate.
A middle ground was found, and Clarke will be demoted to inspector for at least two years. She will be able to reapply for her former rank afterwards.
The Toronto Police Service issued a press release on Wednesday saying that it respects the case’s outcome. Continue…