Toronto Police Sgt. Mark Hayward blames mayor for gun violence 'crisis'

A Toronto cop who has served the city with distinction for 37 years is under fire for writing a scathing letter to the mayor, referring to John Tory as a puppet master and pleading with him to let go of the strings and allow police to return to “proactive” policing.

Sgt. Mark Hayward’s letter, which was emailed on Thursday and is being applauded by fellow officers across the service, expresses the frustration of frontline cops and blames the mayor for the increased gun violence in Toronto that has seen bodies drop at a record pace.

“I feel you are a direct contributor to this violence with your stance and support on the cancellation of the TAVIS program,” Hayward writes. “You flip-flopped on carding and supported its demise. You forced budget and staffing cuts on the Toronto Police.”

“It is obvious Chief (Mark) Saunders is a puppet on strings and you are pulling them,” he adds. “You have zero qualifications to run a police service and should be hands off, to allow the police to do what they do best.”

Hayward currently works as a road sergeant in 52 Division but spent six years, from 2010 to 2016, patrolling the city’s most violence-plagued neighbourhoods as the leader of a TAVIS RRT (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy rapid response team).

During a ride-along in 2014 — when there were half as many shootings in the city as there are today, thanks largely to the efforts of TAVIS — he called the four 16-member RRTs ”the pointy end of the stick” and explained that by being highly visible in neighbourhoods where trouble was thought to be brewing, gang members tended to stay off the streets, or at the very least, leave their guns at home when they did wander out.

TAVIS was formed in 2006 in the wake of the infamous Year of the Gun, when the city endured a record 52 firearms killings, and their proactive approach to policing led to a 25-year low of 51 murders in Toronto in 2011.

TAVIS received praise year after year for reducing violent crime — including from the provincial government, which was providing $5 million annually to fund the initiative.

But by the end of 2014 — with tensions rising in the U.S. after a white officer shot an 18-year-old black man in Ferguson, Mo. — Black Lives Matter protests hit Toronto, often spreading misinformation. The winds of change were set in motion.

By 2016, TAVIS was being heavily scrutinized for their tactics and high volume of streets checks, a.k.a. carding, even though they were only following orders from their senior command who relished the intelligence they were gathering.

By the end of 2016, TAVIS was disbanded.

Since then, shootings have steadily increased and in the first half of 2018, there has already been 52 murders — 25 by guns. The most homicides the city has ever endured was 86 in 1991.

Hayward said he wrote the letter while he was off-duty, sent it electronically to the mayor from a personal device and signed it as a private citizen without mentioning he is a police officer.

And while he was unable to comment on the letter because it is now the subject of an internal investigation, he stands by what he wrote.

“Community policing programs may be of some benefit but they have absolutely no effect on the thugs who are killing people, including the innocent bystanders, in record numbers ‘right now,’” Hayward wrote. “These violent and careless criminals have no interest in playing basketball with the police.”

He goes on to point out the city remained “relatively safe” while police were “engaged in proactive activities, interdicting and disrupting gang activity.”

“Since this came to an end in 2016, we have seen a steady and dramatic increase in gun violence and are faced with a homicide rate that is on track to set a new record for Toronto,” Hayward wrote. “People, especially special interest groups, may not have the stomach for proactive policing, but it is an absolutely vital tool in the police war chest against gun and gang violence.”

“The TAVIS program kept gangs at bay and always looking over their shoulders,” Hayward wrote. “They are now carrying their guns and drugs with impunity and they are acutely aware that the police are the ones handcuffed.”

He also told the mayor “tough decisions need to be made forthwith.”

“The solutions are obvious, difficult as they may seem,” Hayward wrote. “Although, left-wing and special interest groups may not support it, law-abiding citizens and the majority do support police interference and disruption of gang activity through proactive policing.”

Toronto Police are not commenting on the letter, but Hayward has received overwhelming support from fellow cops for voicing the things they are unable to say for fear of damaging their career or losing their job.

“He’s just put to paper what so many officers saying,” said retired Toronto Police Staff-Insp. Mike Earl, who headed up the Holdup Squad until last year. “They’re frustrated. And they’re tired seeing the mayor out at all of these crime scenes instead of the police chief.”

Several cops have told the Sun they believe Tory should remove himself from the Toronto Police Services Board and allow a city councillor to be appointed as his designate.

LETTER TO MAYOR JOHN TORY
Good day Mr. Tory, you may want to read the Jul 3 article written by Sue-Ann Levy, regarding the ongoing gun and gang violence in Toronto.

I completely agree with her. I feel you are a direct contributor to this violence with your stance and support on the cancellation of the TAVIS program. You flip-flopped on carding and supported its demise. You forced budget and staffing cuts on the Toronto police.

It is obvious Chief Saunders is a puppet on strings and you are pulling them. You have zero qualifications to run a police service and should be hands off, to allow the police to do what they do best.

Community policing programs may be of some benefit but they have absolutely no effect on the thugs who are killing people, including the innocent bystanders, in record numbers “right now.” These violent and careless criminals have no interest in playing basketball with the police.

You enjoyed a relatively safe city while police were engaged in proactive activities, interdicting and disrupting gang activity. Since this came to an end in 2016 we have seen a steady and dramatic increase in gun violence and are faced with a homicide rate that is on track to set a new record for Toronto.

Politicians like your self are quick to make cuts when all is “good” and you figure we don’t need as much policing. The peace and safety you enjoy is because of the efforts of the police. When you tie their hands, restrict their abilities, remove the necessary tools and cut staffing the results are inevitable.

You are “dammed mad” but refuse toaccept any blame for this crisis. You expect the already strapped police to bring these criminals to justice, however, like the only policing we now have, this is reactionary and not a proactive response. You are probably too ashamed to admit your role in this fiasco.

As expected you stand before the media espousing your rhetoric and offer no solutions.

It is time for you to step aside and allow the Chief of police free reign (sic), free of political interference to do the job he has trained for over the last 35 years. Chief Saunders and the Toronto Police require your unwavering and unconditional support to get the job done.

People, especially special interest groups, may not have the stomach for proactive policing but it is an absolutely vital tool in the police war chest against gun and gang violence.

The TAVIS program kept gangs at bay and always looking over their shoulders. They are now carrying their guns and drugs with impunity and they are acutely aware that the police are the ones handcuffed.

Tough decisions need to be made forthwith. The solutions are obvious, difficult as they may seem. Although, left-wing and special interest groups may not support it, Law abiding citizens and the majority do support police interference and disruption of gang activity through proactive policing.

We need to implement solutions now.

Regards,

Mark Hayward
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