Ontario’s Police Scandal Exposes Deep Rot
Seven Toronto officers charged with leaking intel to organized crime for bribes; York’s Project South uncovers shootings, extortions, and murder plots, yet another blow to public trust in policing that demands real accountability, not just suspensions and promises.
Ontario’s police corruption probe is making waves right now, and honestly, it’s about time someone took a hard look at the rot in law enforcement. On February 9, 2026, Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing, Ryan Teschner, announced a provincewide inspection of all 45 police services and their boards. This isn’t some minor audit; it’s aimed at checking how well these forces prevent, detect, and respond to corruption. The move comes hot on the heels of a bombshell organized crime investigation called Project South, led by York Regional Police.
That probe, which kicked off in June 2025, wrapped up with 27 suspects charged, including seven current Toronto Police Service officers and one retired one. York cops allege these Toronto officers accessed sensitive personal info from police databases and leaked it to an organized crime group. That group allegedly used the intel for serious crimes like shootings, extortions, robberies, and even a conspiracy to commit murder. Charges against the officers include accepting bribes as peace officers, breach of trust, conspiracy to obstruct justice, unauthorized computer use, and multiple drug trafficking counts involving cocaine, oxycodone, Xanax, Adderall, and MDMA. One officer reportedly conspired to traffic Toronto Police uniforms too. Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw confirmed suspensions (some without pay) for six of the seven active officers, and the force is cooperating fully.
The scandal exploded publicly on February 5, 2026, with a press conference featuring York deputy chief Ryan Hogan and Toronto’s Demkiw. It exposed how corruption allegedly let criminals exploit police insiders for protection and intel. Safety analyst Chris Lewis pointed out the probe needs to fix public trust gaps fast, or faith in policing crumbles further.
Teschner’s inspection covers everything from policies to oversight, triggered by fallout from Project South and the Toronto Police Services Board formally requesting it. Critics say it’s a high-profile test of Ontario’s new police oversight powers, especially after years of scandals. Toronto Police Services Board Chair Shelley Carroll backed the review, stressing transparency.
But let’s call it what it is: this mess highlights systemic issues in policing that go way beyond one bad apple or even seven. Leaking info for bribes and crime facilitation? That’s not just unethical; it’s dangerous and erodes everything law enforcement claims to stand for. While Premier Doug Ford’s government pushes ahead on other fronts (like transit), dodging tough questions elsewhere, this corruption cleanup feels long overdue. Taxpayers deserve forces free of organized crime ties, not excuses. If the inspection uncovers more rot, heads should roll, and real reforms better follow. No more sweeping it under the rug.
BACKGROUNDER
Ontario’s police forces have a long, troubling history of scandals that erode public trust, from outright corruption and bribery to cover-ups, excessive force, racial profiling, and systemic issues like paid suspensions for accused officers. The recent Project South case—where seven Toronto Police Service officers and one retired member face charges for allegedly leaking info to organized crime, enabling shootings, extortions, drug trafficking, and a murder plot, fits right into this pattern, but it’s far from isolated.
One of the biggest historical Toronto Police corruption hits was the 2004 Central Field Command Drug Squad scandal. The RCMP charged six officers after a lengthy, costly probe into alleged corruption, including evidence tampering and misconduct in drug cases. It stood as one of the most serious until Project South topped it for scale and ties to violent crime.
Going back further, the 1999 “fink fund” scandal exposed discrepancies in the Toronto Police Repeat Offender Program Enforcement (ROPE) squad’s informant budget, leading to misuse allegations. In the 1980s and earlier, misconduct included the 1981 bathhouse raids, criticized for targeting gay communities with excessive force and discrimination.
Beyond Toronto, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has faced its share. In 2022, a towing industry probe charged six OPP officers, three Ottawa police, and one Toronto officer for corruption links. Individual cases highlight broader problems: an OPP officer convicted of drug trafficking and sexual assault (raping an unconscious woman in 2017) stayed suspended with pay for nearly eight years post-conviction, thanks to outdated laws. Another infamous example is former Toronto officer Richard Wills, convicted in 2007 of murdering his mistress and hiding her body behind a wall, he collected pay during suspension until conviction.
Systemic issues persist. Ontario prosecutors flagged 28 cases of “deliberately untruthful” officers in the past decade (as of 2025 reports). Paid suspensions have cost taxpayers millions, over $134 million in 11 years for accused officers, including long-haul cases like Ioan-Florin Floria (over $1 million paid while suspended). Racial profiling scandals date back decades: the 1970s-80s saw shootings of Black residents like Albert Johnson (shot dead in 1979, officers acquitted) and Buddy Evans (killed in 1978, no wrongdoing found). The Toronto Star’s 2002 “Singled Out” series exposed differential treatment of Black people, sparking inquiries.
The RCMP (with Ontario presence) has its own dark history, like the 1970s barn-burning scandal (arson against separatists) and illegal break-ins, leading to inquiries.
These aren’t one-offs; they point to recurring themes: weak accountability, slow discipline, and cultural issues. The current provincewide inspection by Inspector General Ryan Teschner into all 45 services is a step, but history shows promises often fade without real reform. Until oversight strengthens and bad actors face swift consequences, scandals like Project South will keep recurring.
