Toronto cop apologizes for misconduct at disciplinary hearing

A high-ranking Toronto police officer apologized at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday for misconduct that occurred when she provided confidential information to six Black constables ahead of promotional job interviews in 2021.

Supt. Stacy Clarke, the first Black female officer to reach the rank of superintendent at the Toronto Police Service, took the stand in her own defence on the second day of a police tribunal hearing. The tribunal is looking into allegations that she interfered with the police's internal promotions process.

"It was incredibly important, first and foremost, for me to take accountability for what I had done. I know that was not the right path. And you know, I apologize sincerely to, first and foremost, the six officers that had to be a part of my conduct," Clarke told the hearing at Toronto police headquarters.

"I apologize sincerely to the organization and the members of our service for the unnecessary attention. Never in my career did I think I'd be in a hearing for something that I have done."

Clarke said she was dealing with frustrations at the time after working toward change that was not happening. 

In September 2023, Clarke pleaded guilty to seven charges under the Police Services Act. The charges include three counts of breach of confidence, three counts of discreditable conduct and one count of insubordination.

In 2021, Clarke served on a three-person panel that conducted interviews for promotions but used that position to share information with interviewees. According to court documents, Clarke "is facing misconduct allegations for sharing interview questions with candidates who had become eligible for promotion."

Misconduct must be seen in context: professor

Wendell Adjetey, a McGill University assistant professor who wrote a report examining the context around Clarke's misconduct, testified at the tribunal on Wednesday.

Adjetey highlighted a passage from a 2022 review of the Toronto Police Service done by Deloitte LLP that said the force is "led predominantly by white males, and that this lack of diversity within leadership reinforces the status quo."

"As a scholar, as a historian, I come across examples of again very brave, very smart, very committed Canadians ... who exercise what I would say, their moral consciousness, a moral compass of sorts, once they've pulled all the levers, knocked on all the doors. When nothing changes, there's an element of exasperation that occurs. I think we need to understand that before we jump to conclusions," Adjetey said in an interview.

Adjetey described Clarke as a "unicorn" because she is a Black woman who rose through the ranks to the position of superintendent at one of the largest police services in North America.

"She did it based on competence, she did it based on goodwill and on a genuine desire to improve policing from within," he said.

'I have an exemplary record,' Clarke says

At times during testimony on Wednesday, Clarke paused to wipe tears from her eyes. Clarke said her home had to undergo a threat assessment after she received threatening emails following the allegations against her. 

Despite what has happened to her, she told the hearing she still believes she can make a difference as an officer with Toronto police.

"I have an exemplary record," Clarke said. "My record speaks for itself."

She said the force can "absolutely" be assured that the misconduct will not happen again.

According to an agreed statement of facts in the case, Clarke was promoted to the position of police superintendent in July 2020. She was suspended in January 2022 but reinstated the following month and has remained as superintendent since then, Toronto police have said.

Joseph Markson, her lawyer, has proposed that Clarke be demoted to the rank of inspector for a year to 18 months then automatically reinstated to the rank of superintendent. Prosecutor Scott Hutchison, however, has called for Clarke to be demoted two ranks to staff sergeant and be given the opportunity to reapply to become superintendent after two years.

The disciplinary hearing is set to resume with cross-examination on Thursday morning.