Toronto Police Chief Says He Accepts Not Guilty Verdict in Zameer Trial

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks to media in Toronto on Sunday, April 21, 2024. Demkiw says he accepts the verdict of the jury that found a man accused of fatally running over a city police officer not guilty in his death. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says he accepts the jury’s decision to acquit Umar Zameer of the 2021 death of Detective-Constable Jeffrey Northrup, two days after publicly expressing he had been “hoping for a different outcome.”

The seeming change in position comes after his April 21 comments were criticized by the public with many taking to social media to call for him to resign or be fired.

Chief Demkiw, who was questioned repeatedly by reporters at an unrelated press conference April 23, said he was pleased for the opportunity to be “clear” about his opinion on the verdict.

“On Sunday I thought I was clear that I supported the justice system and the work of the jury. You know, as I look back, let me be emphatic about that,” he said. “In my career I have always been a supporter of the justice process. Closure does not come at the expense of justice and let me be crystal clear, I support and accept the verdict of the jury.”

He was also questioned about whether his comment that he shared “the feelings of our members who were hoping for a different outcome” meant he wanted to see a guilty verdict.

“What I was trying to convey is that I accept the jury’s findings and we’re an organization that’s grieving and trying to work through finding some path towards closure,” he responded.

A provincial group representing 46 law associations said Chief Demkiw’s original comments were detrimental to both the justice system and the public’s confidence in it.

“The inconsistent evidence from the Crown’s case against Zameer and the reaction of police leadership to the court’s ruling are examples of the type of conduct by law enforcement that brings the administration of justice into disrepute and undermines public confidence in our judicial process,” Federation of Ontario Law Associations chair Douglas W. Judson said in an April 23 statement.

Former police officer and current city councillor Jon Burnside said the chief should apologize for his initial statement after the verdict.

“I was very disappointed and surprised by his statement, and perplexed really. I didn’t hear anyone, even in the police community, who thought Mr. Zameer would be found guilty,” he said April 23 on CBC Radio’s Metro Morning.

“All he has to say is, ‘It was an emotional time.… I’m sorry, I misspoke. The words I expressed were the wrong words, given this situation,’ and I think people would accept that.”

The Epoch Times contacted Coun. Burnside for comment but did not receive a response by publication time.

Police Review

Chief Demkiw’s latest comments come two days after jurors acquitted Mr. Zameer of first- and second-degree murder in the July 2, 2021, death of Det.-Const. Northrup. He was also found not guilty of manslaughter, signalling the jury’s belief that Det.-Const. Northrup’s death after being struck by Mr. Zameer’s BMW was an accident. The incident occurred in an underground parking garage at Toronto City Hall.

It was not disputed during the trial that Mr. Zameer ran over Det.-Const. Northrup. Instead, the case focused on whether Mr. Zameer meant to hit the officer or even knew it had happened at the time. It was also meant to determine if he understood that Det.-Const. Northrup and his partner were police officers.

Both Det.-Const. Northrup and his partner were in plain clothes, investigating a stabbing in the area. Mr. Zameer testified he had no idea the two people rushing toward his vehicle were police officers and that he feared for the safety of his young child and pregnant wife. While trying to get away he said he unknowingly ran over Det.-Const. Northrup.

Three officers who were at the scene testified the constable was hit head-on while holding up his hands for the vehicle to stop. Two crash-reconstruction experts  testified Det.-Const. Northrup fell after the vehicle made glancing contact with him while reversing, adding that he was on the ground when he was run over. Both found there was no damage or dust disturbance on the car that would indicate he had been hit head-on.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy told the jurors to consider whether the three officers to witness the incident were in collusion, noting that all three had the same incorrect memory of what occurred.

After the not guilty verdict was read, Judge Molloy also offered her “deepest apologies” to Mr. Zameer for what he and his family endured for the past three years.

Chief Demkiw announced April 22 that the Ontario Provincial Police would conduct an independent review in response to the “adverse comments made by Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy.”

“Whenever the Toronto Police Service becomes aware of concerns raised by the judiciary, its governance requires that a review be conducted with respect to officer testimony, conduct, procedures, practices, and training,” an April 22 statement from the office of the chief said.

Chief Demkiw also ordered a full internal review of all aspects of plainclothes policing, including equipment and procedures for officer and public safety, the statement noted.

The chief addressed the review briefly at the April 23 press conference.

“When I became chief, my very first priority was to improve trust in the Toronto Police Service and we strive to do that each and every single day in all our encounters,” he told reporters.

“We certainly recognize the concerns of the community and we’re going to do everything we can to rebuild trust in the best way we possibly can.”

He said requesting an independent review by the OPP is one way to rebuild that trust. He added that Toronto Police will “have safeguards in place” to ensure the OPP is able to conduct an unbiased review.

The chief also discussed an internal review that will be undertaken by the city police service that will examine “all aspects” of policing and “take a look at the lessons learned not just from these circumstances” but from “best practices … in the policing sector.”

“Quite frankly I think we owe it to everybody to do everything we possibly can to prevent these kinds of things from happening again and we will look to learn and put in place whatever we possibly can,” he said.

He declined to go into detail about what lessons had been learned by police as a result of the trial, saying that would “preempt” the future findings of the review team.

Toronto Police Service Board Chair Ann Morgan “is very supportive” of the reviews announced by Chief Demkiw and “continues to have full confidence” in him, board spokesperson Sandy Murray said in an email to The Epoch Times.

“The board will be reviewing the verdict, the case, and the public discussion surrounding it as it would in any other situation that might have future policy implications,“ Ms. Murray said. ”This includes determining, what, if anything, requires further scrutiny and possible action. At this time, it is too early to announce any next steps.”