Going after Premier, police chief after Zameer verdict ugly politics

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By the way some are trying to look for scapegoats, you would swear it was the police and politicians who were on trial instead of a man who was acquitted of all charges for running over and killing an undercover cop. 

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Too many critics are getting caught up in a blame game frenzy, and for the good of public safety, it has got to stop.

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Umar Zameer, 31, had been charged with first-degree murder in the July 2, 2021 death of Det.-Const. Jeffrey Northrup, 55, in the underground garage at Toronto City Hall. He walked away from the courtroom a free man after a jury found him not guilty on Sunday.

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This was a result of the system doing its work and finding the appropriate outcome. But now others are pointing fingers at people who had nothing to do with any of what transpired that night. 

It’s just a political witch-hunt. 

So it was nice to see Premier Doug Ford stand up to the pack trying to score political points.

For the safety of every police officer in the province who see that no one was held responsible for one of them dying in the line of duty, he should continue to do so.  He should fend off the mob’s urging that he buckle and apologize for comments he made about the case prior to the trial.

Time will tell if Ford can withstand the pressure coming from the Monday-morning quarterbacks who are demanding he bend a knee and provide a mea culpa for his comments about the decision to grant bail to the man who was accused of first-degree murder in the death of a Toronto police officer. 

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But so far he has.

Ford had posted to social media: “It’s completely unacceptable that the person charged for this heinous crime is now out on bail. Our justice system needs to get its act together and start putting victims and their families ahead of criminals.” 

Fast-forward three years later, and the suspect he was referring to was acquitted. Now people are out for blood.

“It’s a very sad situation that happened,” Ford told reporters at Queen’s Park Tuesday. “I respect the court’s decision. My heart goes out to (Northrup’s widow) Margaret and her family.” 

When pressed about his bail comments, the premier added, “you know at that time, I had limited information. The courts have decided, and the jury has decided, and you have to respect the justice system.” 

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Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown took it a step further.

“Everyone is celebrating the not guilty verdict of first-degree murder, and they forget we have a dead father, husband and police officer,” Brown told The Toronto Sun Tuesday night. “Jeffrey was from Brampton. He ran our local lacrosse programs and boy scouts.  He was a champion for Special Olympics. He was loved. This is the real tragedy that everyone forgets.  He was killed in the line of duty.” 

Brown added, “Umar Zameer shouldn’t have been charged with first-degree murder, but it doesn’t change the fact he was responsible for Jeffrey Northup’s death. The Crown failed him. They failed the Northrop family. It also doesn’t change my belief that we need bail reform in Canada.” 

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Saying “the Crown should never have proceeded with first-degree murder charges,” Brown insisted the “Crown owes an apology to not only Zameer, but more importantly to the Northrop family.” 

Brown added “as for my comments, former mayor (John) Tory and the premier’s comments on bail reform” he is still of the belief “we need bail reform in Canada. My tweet at the time made reference to the case of Henderson Bellman. She was killed by someone released on bail for the fifth time.  I continue to believe we need bail reform in Canada. The justice system is too much of a revolving door.”

Brown and Ford are looking at the big picture. Same goes for Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, who should not have to apologize, either. A police officer died in the line of duty and a person was charged with first-degree murder as per what the Criminal Code demands.

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Demkiw bringing in outside eyes to review the case and how undercover policing is done going forward were the right moves.

While there are flaws in the system and changes could come as result, that same justice system also got things right thanks to a jury which made its ruling.

To come back and focus on leaders’ comments three years ago to make political hay is unfair – especially since they are the ones who had to deal with the grieving family and shaken up police officers. After all, it’s up to them to convince officers they’ll be safe out there. 

It’s already horrible what happened. But looking to blame others is nothing more than political opportunism. 

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