Human rights commissioner urges police to integrate training better

TORONTO – The head of the Ontario Human Rights Commission is testifying at the inquest into the police shooting deaths of three mentally ill Toronto residents.

Barbara Hall says police need to better integrate training on how to deal with the mentally ill into their teachings on use of force and other tactics.

Hall says the human rights commission is concerned that police training only focuses on one issue at a time.

She says training on how to deal with those who have perceived mental health issues should be ongoing in order to combat stereotypes and stigma.

The inquest has heard that when a police officer is faced with a person advancing with a sharp object, their response is based on the person’s behaviour and not their mental state.

The province’s police watchdog cleared authorities of wrongdoing in all three cases being examined by the inquest, prompting calls for justice from the families of those killed.