Policing in Metro Toronto

Overall, a large majority (89%) of Metro Toronto residents agree that police officers do a very good job of maintaining community safety. Notwithstanding, smaller majorities disagree that police officers get away with unprofessional conduct too often (59%), or disagree that Metro police officers often treat people of visible minority unfairly (58%).

In light of recent media coverage of investigations regarding police conduct, a majority (55%) of Metro Toronto residents indicates that police officers should be required to co-operate with the investigation of questionable events over using excessive force. An even stronger majority (66%) trusts the investigative system in agreeing that public complaints about the conduct of police officers are carefully and objectively reviewed.

When asked about specific police actions, almost seven in ten (69%) disagree that Metro police officers generally act too quickly in using their weapons or physical force. However, a smaller proportion (48%) report that "when they hear an accusation that Metro's police officers used excessive force against an individual suspected of a crime, in most instances, the person usually deserved what they got". In comparison, over four in ten (42%) feel that Metro's police officers often use poor judgment when it comes to force, and that people suspected of a crime deserve to be dealt with using the minimum force necessary.

Finally, following the opening of Ontario `boot camps' for young offenders in July, 1997, over six in ten (63%) Metro Toronto residents agree that `boot camps' for young offenders are a good idea.

The latest CFRB/Angus Reid Group Poll was conducted among a representative cross-section of 400 Metro Toronto residents between October 28rd and 29th, 1997.

Performance of Metro's Police Officers, Professionalism & Racism

A large majority (89%) of Metro Toronto residents agree that "police officers do a very good job of maintaining the safety of my community", compared to under one in ten (8%) who disagree with this statement. A total of three percent (3%) are undecided. (Table 1)

• Agreement with this statement is especially strong among older Metro residents aged 55 years and older (96%) and among supporters of the Provincial Progressive Conservatives (94%).

In addition, almost six in ten (59%) Metro Toronto residents disagree that "police officers get away with unprofessional conduct too often". In comparison, just over three in ten (31%) agree with this statement and a further one in ten (10%) are undecided. (Table 1)

• Metro Toronto residents aged 55 years and older (69%) the most affluent (64% among those with annual household incomes of $60,000 or more), and supporters of the Provincial Progressive Conservatives (70%) are more likely than other subgroups of the population surveyed to disagree that police officers get away with unprofessional conduct too often.
• Further, younger Metro Toronto residents aged 18 to 34 (44%), those with some post-secondary education (38%), the least affluent (39% among those with annual household incomes of less than $30,000), and those with children under the age of 18 years (38%) are predominantly more likely to agree that police officers get away with unprofessional conduct too often.

As well, Metro Toronto police officers are not widely perceived to act in a racist fashion, with a majority (58%) expressing disagreement that "Metro police officers often treat people of visible minority unfairly". Over one-quarter (26%), on the other hand, agree that Metro police officers often treat people of visible minority unfairly and a further sixteen percent (16%) are undecided. (Table 1)

• Those who disagree that people of visible minority are often treated unfairly by Metro Toronto police officers tend to be males (63%), residents aged 55 years and older (63%), those with some post-secondary education (63%), and supporters of the Provincial Liberals (64%).
• In addition, agreement with this statement is more likely to occur among younger residents of Metro Toronto (36% among those aged 18 to 34), the least affluent (35% those with annual household incomes of less than $30,000), those with children under the age of 18 years (35%), and supporters of the Provincial Liberals (32%).

Police Co-operation in the Investigation of Questionable Actions

The majority (55%) of Metro Toronto residents feels that when "individual police officers are accused of using excessive force, such as the use of a firearm, in the performance of their duties, police officers should be required to co-operate with the investigation of events in question". Comparatively, under four in ten (38%) believe that in these circumstances, police officers "should be allowed to treat this like a criminal investigation against them, in which they would have legal representation and the same rights as an accused person in court wherein they don't have to disclose anything until a trial". Seven percent (7%) are undecided. (Table 2)

• Metro Toronto residents predominantly more likely to feel that police officers should co-operate in such situations tend to be younger (61% among those aged 18 to 34), those who have children under the age of 18 years (61%), and supporters of the Provincial New Democrats (71%) or Liberals (63%).
• Conversely, those disproportionately more likely to hold the view that individual police officers should have the same rights as an accused person in court are supporters of the Provincial Progressive Conservatives (44%).

In addition, the majority (66%) of Metro Toronto residents agree that "public complaints about the conduct of police officers are carefully and objectively reviewed by independent investigators". Just over two in ten (22%) disagree with this statement and over one in ten (12%) are undecided. (Table 2)

• Agreement with this statement is more likely to occur among the most affluent (71% among those with annual household incomes of $60,000 or more) and supporters of the Provincial Liberals (71%).
• On the other hand, disagreement is more likely to be found among Metro Toronto residents with children under the age of 18 years (28%) and supporters of the Provincial New Democrats (32%).

Metro Police Using Physical or Excessive Force

Almost seven in ten (69%) Metro Toronto residents disagree that "Metro police officers generally act too quickly in using their weapons or physical force". Just under one-quarter (24%) agree with this statement and seven percent (7%) are undecided. (Table 3)

• Those more likely to disagree that Metro police officers generally act too quickly in using their weapons or physical force include Metro Toronto residents aged 35 to 54 (77%), the most affluent (76% among those with annual household incomes of $60,000 or more) and supporters of the Provincial Tories (74%).
• Agreement, however, is more prone to be found among younger Metro Toronto residents aged 18 to 34 (31%), the least educated (29% among those with a highschool education or less), the least affluent (36% among those with annual household incomes of less than $30,000), those with children under the age of 18 years (30%) and supporters of the Provincial New Democrats (30%).

However, a smaller proportion of Metro Toronto residents feels that Metro's police officers justifiably use excessive force against individuals suspected of a crime. Specifically, a plurality (48%) of Metro Toronto residents report that "when they hear an accusation that Metro's police officers used excessive force against an individual suspected of a crime, in most instances, the person usually deserved what they got". Conversely, over four in ten (42%) feel that "Metro's police officers often use poor judgment when it comes to force, and that even when they suspect a person of a crime, this person deserves to be dealt with using the minimum force necessary, given the circumstances". Nine percent (9%) of Metro Toronto residents are undecided. (Table 3)

• Those more likely to believe that individuals, in most instances, "deserve what they got" when Metro's police officers have used excessive force in suspecting them of a crime tend to be Metro Toronto residents aged 55 and older (58%), the least educated (57% among those without a highschool education), and the least affluent (54% among those with annual household incomes of less than $30,000).
• Further, those who are more likely to feel that Metro's police officers often use poor judgment in using excessive force include younger residents aged between 18 and 34 years (49%), the university educated (50%), and supporters of the Provincial New Democrats (48%).

Perceptions of `Boot Camps'

Three months following the opening of Ontario `boot camps' for young offenders in July, 1997, over six in ten (63%) Metro Toronto residents agree that `boot camps' are a "good idea". One-quarter (25%) disagree that `boot camps' are a "good idea" and over one in ten (12%) are undecided. (Table 4)

• Females (71%), younger Metro Toronto residents aged 18 to 34 (72%), the least educated (73% among those with a highschool education or less), and the least affluent (71% among residents with annual household incomes of less than $30,000) tend to be more likely than other subgroups of the population surveyed to agree that `boot camps' for young offenders are a "good idea".
• Disagreement that `boot camps' are a "good idea" is predominantly more likely to be found among males (32%), those aged 35 to 54 (31%), the university educated (30%), and supporters of the Provincial New Democrats (54%).

This CFRB / Angus Reid Group Poll was conducted by telephone between October 28th and 29th, 1997 among a representative cross-section of 400 Metro Toronto residents.

These data were statistically weighted to ensure the sample's regional and age/sex composition reflects that of the actual Metro Toronto adult population according to the 1991 and 1996 Census data.

With a sample of 400, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results are within ±4.9 percentage points of what they would have been had the entire adult Metro Toronto population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population.

For more information on this news release, please contact:

John Wright
Senior Vice-President
Angus Reid Group
(416) 324-2900