An Ontario court has ruled that Toronto's police chief has no right to demand members of the public undergo a search when attending meetings of the force's board.
Justice Jill Copeland of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice says requiring a search ahead of the meetings held at police headquarters infringes on freedom of expression by limiting access to gatherings that are open to the public.
In a decision released Monday, Copeland rejects the police chief's arguments that the searches are necessary given today's ``changing security landscape.''
Copeland's decision also finds that accessing the police services board meetings remotely is not equal to attending them in person.
She says requiring people to ``submit to a warrantless search'' in order to attend a public meeting has no legal basis and infringes on freedom of expression.
She says her finding pertain only to police board meetings, which by law must be open to the public, and that people entering Toronto police headquarters for other purposes may still be asked to undergo a search.
Kristian Langenfeld, the regular police board meeting attendee who launched the complaint, did not immediately respond to request for comment.
Toronto Police spokeswoman Meaghan Gray said the force is reviewing the decision, adding she does not yet know if there are plans to appeal.