A plainclothes police officer in Toronto was run over and killed in a City Hall parking lot, the case ended Sunday, and the driver who caused the accident, Umar Zameer, was finally acquitted, and after the judge commented, Toronto police asked the OPP for a review and will conduct an internal review of the plainclothes police process.
In the Omar Zamer trial, the Toronto Police Chief asked the Ontario Police to conduct an "independent review" after the presiding judge expressed concerns about the reliability of the officers' testimony.
During the trial, High Court Judge Anne Molloy told jurors that the testimony of the police officers, who were at the heart of Zamir's case, did not match the physical evidence and advised them to be vigilant against possible complicity.
In the end, the driver was found not guilty, and the judge finally apologized to Zamer.
All charges were acquitted, and Zamel wept on the spot
Similarly, the widow of Jeffrey Northrup, a police officer who died in the line of duty, cried silly, and no one was responsible for her husband's death, which became an unfortunate accident.
Northrup, who has been a police officer for 31 years, was hit and killed by a BMW car in Zamir on July 2, 2021, in a public parking lot below the Municipal Square.
The officer rushed to the car with his plainclothes partner while investigating a stabbing incident that had just occurred nearby.
Zamir, who was with his pregnant wife and young son at the time, has always insisted that he did not know that the person approaching his vehicle was a police officer.
In a statement Monday afternoon, the Toronto police chief, explaining the reasons for the request for review, referred to Judge Molloy's "adverse comments" on police testimony, which he did not elaborate further.
"Whenever the Toronto Police Service is aware of the concerns raised by the judiciary, its governance requires a review of officer testimony, conduct, procedures, practices, and training," the statement said. ”
In a statement on Monday, the enthronement also ordered an internal review of plainclothes policing, reviewing all aspects of the process, including "equipment and procedures for officers and public safety."
The police chief then clarified the comments he made after the verdict, stating that "we would have liked a different outcome".
"Throughout my career, I have respected the judicial process and accepted the jury's decision," he said. Perhaps over time, tragic events of this magnitude will come to an end. ”
"As Superintendent of Toronto, I acknowledge the emotions that many of us have felt as we struggle with the death of a colleague, but of course, the end must not come at the expense of justice. ”