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posted January 25, 2007

Police-Community relations

I have spent the better part of an hour reading some of the email postings, replies, as well as editorials by Jutta Mason posted on your website.

My main concern is that there is either one of two problems with your postings, and although I am sure the point of the postings is to offer people an outlet for their thoughts and experiences in relation to the park, it leaves me thinking of possible bias.

The first problem could be that all of the officers who patrol Dufferin Grove Park are overly aggressive in trying to keep drug dealers/users out of the park and continuously violate their Constitutional Rights.

The second problem could be that in an effort to express dislike for police in general, only stories that put the Toronto Police Service, and in particular 14 division, in a negative light are posted onto this website.

I have been a visitor to the park on a number of occasions, mainly for pickup hockey and skating and have noticed that the park is quite safe, clean, and offers a number of services not found in other parks. I cannot speak of the park in years past, but based on what I saw, or didn't see in your park, and your articles about the amount of police presence in the park I can only assume that you have, at least in some part, the Toronto Police Service to thank for the relative safety of your park.

Could your relationship with the police be better? Darn right. But posting emails and editorials that continuously point out the negative interactions with police are only going to further divide two groups that ultimately have the same goal, creating and mainting a safe family oriented park where everyone is welcome.

I would be interested to hear your comments and if you feel I am way off the mark on this.

K Petrie Toronto

Editor's response:

There are two possibilities why there are so many problems posted about interactions with police. One is that I am using this as a forum to express my dislike for the police. The other possibility is that there are some real problems that need to be addressed case by case, not in a general "cops are tops" way.

Case by case response from the police has not been strong, so far.

I'm very glad that the rink is a pleasant place for you to come and skate. It hasn't always been like that, in fact it was quite scary. Your assumption is that the police must have been responsible for the improvement. However, you may want to read your way around more of the web site, to flesh out what makes the rink a good place now. And the police are active elsewhere in Toronto, and yet outdoor rinks are often not so pleasant or peaceful. The police were not able to fix those places.

The fact is, the police can't be fixing social problems, that's not their job, and it's much too large a task to ask of them. There are lots of people who have made this park and the rink as good as it is, including many hard-working City park staff.

But the police should do their job of "serve and protect" better, at this park.

If you'd like to take this up in more detail, I'd be happy to meet with you at the rink, after you've had a skate or whenever. Just let me know a good time.

Jutta Mason

Response: none

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