The Toronto Police Service has been put under the microscope, and the result is raising red flags.

A report conducted by the Toronto Police Service Board highlights a loss of trust amongst the service’s members and the public as the review looks to inform the future of policing.

The mandatory report is based on public consultations conducted from 2023 to 2015, where more than 1,000 officers, civilian staff and community members took part in a deep review of the service.

“Up until the new community safety policing act, up until this point, chiefs and services have works plans, strategic plans, but we’re now required for the board to have a plan,” said Coun. Shelley Carroll, who is also the chair of the Toronto Police Services Board.

“People are still concerned about biases in policing, and that means we have more work to do.”

The review notes community concerns over safety and security, especially when engaging with Black, Indigenous and Queer communities but the main highlight is the reported distrust in the institution both with the public – as many residents express feelings of disconnection from frontline officers – and internally – as service members cite unclear leadership, a toxic workplace culture and HR practices that feel unfair and demoralizing.

“First of all, it’s nothing that’s surprising to us, a lot of the things are themes that we’ve seen over many years, things that have festered, specifically with our membership,” said Toronto Police Association President Clayton Campbell, who adds the findings from the report will be directly used to guide the board in developing its strategic plan for the service.

“What that means is there’s actually going to be accountability for the chief and the command to actually follow up on some of those things.” 

In a statement to CityNews, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says, in part, work is underway to address some of these issues. 

“Policing in Toronto is complex. That’s why hearing from our communities, members, and partners is key to meaningfully co-designing, co-developing, and co-delivering solutions that reflect lived experience and diverse perspectives.”

“The strategic plan is also going to have to include the things we commit to doing, and we also commit to measuring whether or not we’ve done them, because I think that’s the thing that’s been missing, and that’s what we heard from the service members: don’t just say you’re going to do it. How are you going to measure it and how are you going to show us the results?” said Carroll.

The strategic plan is expected to be considered by the board in the spring of 2026.