Despite the increase in gun violence in our city - with more than 300 shootings and 81 homicides to date - Newstalk 1010 learning tonight that the Toronto Police Service is going ahead with cuts to two specialized units.
There are reports that the Drug Unit and the Gun and Gang Task Force unit are being restructured. And critics are wondering, "Why now"?
In a statement to our sister station CP24, Toronto Police Service spokesperson Meaghan Gray says, "The Gun and Gang Task Force and the Drug Squad are being realigned in order to effectively continue the work that they've been doing."
Meantime, unconfirmed reports in The Globe and Mail indicate the units could each be cut to just four members - down from their usual six to seven officers.
Spokesperson Meaghan Gray adding in statement, "These units have seen a reduction in numbers as members retire, resign and move around to other units. In order to ensure the work of these units continues as efficiently as possible, the teams will be reorganized."
The Toronto Police Service noted that the drug and gang units are responsible for more than 625 arrests, 160 gun seizures and almost half a million grams of illicit drugs.
Speaking on CP24, Mayor John Tory saying he's not pleased with the proposed changes.
"I just learned about this on Thursday and I intend to take it up at the Police Services Board on Friday."
"I'm not happy about it, quite frankly, because we have a challenge in front of us right now, a serious challenge and we have money - extra money that's come from the Government of Ontario and extra money that the city itself has put in, and so I'm going to look for some explanations at the Police Services Board on Friday because I think that these units, should have all the resources they need to fight something that is a serious community safety challenge in our city."
The police service is down 800 members since 2010.