Jurors at an inquest into the death of a teen shot by a Toronto police officer more than a decade ago were asked Tuesday to consider dozens of recommendations related to officer training and monitoring, peer intervention and mental health supports in an effort to prevent future deaths.

As closing submissions began in the inquest into the death of Sammy Yatim, coroner’s counsel presented a list of more than 50 recommendations jointly proposed by the parties, which include Yatim’s family members, the Toronto Police Services Board, and some police officers involved in the incident.

Jurors can review the proposal as they deliberate and compile their list of recommendations.

One proposed recommendation calls for making peer intervention training, which already exists within the force, a mandatory component of officers’ annual re-qualification process. The training should emphasize that officers who intervene will not face repercussions and those who don’t could be accused of misconduct, it said.

Another seeks a review of the database system used to monitor use-of-force incidents and other occurrences, which is meant to provide alerts after a certain number of incidents to allow early intervention.

“What we have learned throughout this inquest is that at the time of Sammy’s death, the systems in place at the Toronto Police Service that were designed to oversee and monitor police officers … were insufficient in assisting the officers to be able to work through the situation with Sammy and to defuse it without the loss of life,” said Asha James, who represents Yatim’s mother.

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CBC News
January 30, 2024