It seems Windsorites want greater transparency in police oversight.
The issue was one of the key themes coming from a public consultation held in Windsor on Tuesday.
The Independent Police Oversight Review, being carried out across the province, is looking to fill any gaps found in the three oversight authorities — the Special Investigations Unit, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director, and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission.
Justice Michael Tulloch attends the public consultation in Windsor, as part of the province-wide Independent Police Oversight Review, on November 15, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
The session held at the University of Windsor's Vanier Hall saw people split into groups to discuss different concerns.
University of Windsor psychology student Elshaddai Afework brought forward feelings of a lack of accountability among the three bodies.
"We don't believe that the SIU is transparent enough, or [oversight] organizations in general," says Afework. "We do want more transparency, especially with their investigations into police officers."
Lawyer Danielle Robitaille is with the IPOR and says many people are looking for more information in police investigations.
"We've heard over and over that Ontarians want to know when a civilian has been severely injured or killed by police, they want to know the details of that event," says Robitaille.
There are three more public consultations with the review moving to Brescia University College in London from 6pm to 8pm Wednesday.
The deadline for public input to be sent in is November 30.
Recommendations coming from the review are expected in March 2017.
Robitaille says while the government isn't forced to put in place the recommendations, she thinks the move to put Justice Michael Tulloch at the head of the review is a good sign.
"There is a signal by asking a sitting Court of Appeal judge to take a year off his tenure to do this work," says Robitaille. "To me that signals that it's an issue that's being taken very seriously."
The review was launched after police in Toronto shot and killed Andrew Loku in July 2015. He was living in a Canadian Mental Health Association affordable housing unit.
The officers were cleared of any charges after an investigation by the SIU.
