The independent report released today by Scot Wortley, a University of Toronto criminology professor, recommends banning or strongly regulating police street checks in the province. He says police street checks have contributed to an erosion of trust in law enforcement and undermined the perceived legitimacy of the entire criminal justice system. Ontario banned police carding in specific situations in 2017 — a controversial practice that is similar to street checks. Across Canada, the report found the average annual street check rate was highest in Toronto, with Halifax in second place. Despite an overall reduction in street checks in Halifax in recent years, Wortley says the over-representation of minorities has remained constant.

Source: National Post March 27, 2019 08:03 UTC