Windsor police chief maintains stance on suspending officers without pay

Windsor's police chief Al Frederick is maintaining his stance on advocating for the ability to suspend officers without pay.

He said the issue comes down to public trust in the police department.   

"Our community's trust and confidence in our officers is critical," he told CBC News. "This whole notion of paying an officer for in some cases years without being employed...does not sit well."

Premier Kathleen Wynne revived the discussion on suspending officers without pay when she told reporters the province is in the process of consulting with police departments.

She said this after it was revealed convicted Toronto police Const. James Forcillo will receive pay until he's sentenced to time in custody.

• Ontario weighs changes on suspending officers with pay
• ​James Forcillo guilty of attempted murder in streetcar shooting of Sammy Yatim​
• James Forcillo's time behind bars could be years away: lawyer

He was found guilty Jan. 25 of attempted murder in a shooting that killed a teenager.

The Ontario Association of Police Chiefs is responsible for the discussions with the province, Frederick said. There are still issues that need to be ironed out, like how the process of suspending an officer would work.

"It won't be just as simple as the chief deciding by himself that he's going to suspend this officer without pay," Frederick said. "There will be a framework to guide the chief in his decision. There's also a fairness issue … we're innocent until proven guilty and we need to respect that."  

Frederick said there is currently one officer who is suspended with pay in Windsor. 

Ontario is the only province where police chiefs have no power to revoke the pay of a suspended officer.