Toronto police officer under investigation after caught showing middle finger to citizen

In the video, the citizen, who is later identified as a former 24-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service, is seen arguing with two officers about their marked vehicle being parked in a loading zone.

As the officers leave, one of them is recorded giving a middle finger to the person filming the interaction.

Toronto Police confirmed on Tuesday that the professional standards unit is now investigating the incident.

“We can’t speak to the specifics of the incident captured in the circulating video, but we acknowledge that the officer’s response was not appropriate,” said Const. Laurie McCann in an email statement.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford addressed the video during a separate news conference on Wednesday.

Ford expressed his support for the officers, suggesting that people should show gratitude towards law enforcement rather than attempting to catch them in compromising situations.

Two Toronto Police officers are under investigation after one of them showed the finger to a resident who confronted them about illegal parking during their Starbucks run.https://t.co/WK4P0UYGXR pic.twitter.com/lqojgcfwFf

— Now Toronto (@nowtoronto) August 6, 2024

“As far as I’m concerned, they did nothing wrong,” Ford stated. “Let’s support our police. Next time you’re at a coffee shop, I’ll go in and buy you a coffee.”

This incident is not the first time the Toronto Police have found themselves in the spotlight over coffee.

Earlier this year, the force faced criticism for delivering coffee to anti-Israel/pro-Palestinian protesters on a bridge over Highway 401. Now, the officers are under scrutiny again—this time for what some are calling an “illegal” parking job during a coffee run.

Toronto Police Association president Jon Reid also weighed in, noting the increasing frequency of officers being recorded and criticized by the public.

“We’ve had countless examples recently of officers being videotaped, being treated very, very poorly,” Reid said in an interview with CP24.

“I’ll be honest, it gets frustrating. And I can only assume that maybe this was a very human reaction on the part of this officer.”

The video has reignited discussions about the conduct and accountability of law enforcement, with opinions divided between those who defend the officer’s actions and those who see it as an unprofessional response.

(With inputs from Toronto Sun and CBC News)