Why do police have to stand at construction sites?

[Voltz]

$65 an hour is about what they would make on overtime while on duty anyways, probably less when benefits and pension are included. If the police service where to send officers who are on duty to do what would otherwise be 'paid duty' work then they would incur overtime costs anyways.

 

[Eug]

^Would you stand at a construction site for minimum wage? Maybe if you're an illegal Mexican alien, you would.

I betcha there would be a LOT of people willing to get trained to do this, for $20+ an hour.

Answer: It's required by law.

The laws need to be changed.

Furthermore, the article has already informed us that paid duty police in other jurisdictions get paid about half what they do in Toronto, which makes sense, since normal police pay even in Toronto is about half what paid duty officers in Toronto make.

There is absolutely no reason why they should be paid twice as much as the going rate. My initial suspicions are correct. It's basically a racket, that exists only because people in power have turned a blind eye.

As for construction companies wanting them, there are several in that article who say it's an unnecessary expense. Same goes for private event organizers.

And yes it does cost us. It costs us for construction costs. It costs us to host events. It costs us for government contracts. Etc.

$65 an hour is about what they would make on overtime while on duty anyways, probably less when benefits and pension are included. If the police service where to send officers who are on duty to do what would otherwise be 'paid duty' work then they would incur overtime costs anyways.

That's a lame argument IMO. Paid duty work is not a requirement of policing jobs. It is basically a perk. If they want to do the extra hours they can. Give them time, not double-time. I betcha there would be no shortage of police still wanting to do it.

And like I said before, not all paid duty type jobs require a policeman. Some construction companies and event organizers have already said they would rather not hire paid duty policemen, because of the cost, and the fact there is no control of who is involved. Police often come to the events knowing absolutely nothing about the event.

 

[valkoholic]

I've heard from city staff and contractors that this is often little more than a scam. The police dictate when and where they are required, and the contractor has no control over whether the police actually do anything. If you actually watch the police providing the service you'll notice 90% of the time they're not actually doing anything at all. If the contractor was responsible for controlling traffic (contractor's do have certain rights to control traffic at construction sites) things would be safer and cheaper for taxpayers. Remember that if a contractor hired by the city has to pay for police, that money comes from the taxpayer.

 

[gristle]

Answer: It's required by law.

There is no specific bylaw requiring police to be paid to stand by these sites.

 

[EnviroTO]

There are certainly other jurisdictions within Toronto that don't have police standing at construction sites. I had never seen it before coming to Toronto.

 

[Eug]

And the expected response:

Star's paid duty story 'nonsense': Chief

"It is a system that puts about 180 police officers on average in uniform out in the community every day, not at the taxpayer's expense but at private corporations' expense. And, frankly, those officers are still in uniform. They're still cops. They're still available to serve," Blair said.

 

[EnviroTO]

Available to serve doing what? Surely serving involves more than simply existing. Who cares who pays? It comes from society as a whole if every construction project touching roadway requires an officer.

 

[voxpopulicosmicum]

Are people really suggesting that members of the Toronto Police Service are behaving unethically, to the point of engaging in racketeering and organized crime? What a preposterous statement, given that several of the formerly high-level police and police union officials charged with such crimes have had those charges dismissed. I mean, if that doesn't prove that Our Cops Are Tops and beyond reproach, what more do you need?

Whatever the evidence, I REFUSE to believe that Toronto's finest would ever be involved in activities that aren't completely above board. Furthermore, it is scurrilous bordering on libellous (with a dash of vulgarity) to insinuate that the police union would have even the remotest connection to shady dealings.

For shame. FOR SHAME!

 

[Transportfan]

the reason for cops being at construction sites is because there was a fatal accident at one a decade ago, and the coroner recommended it as an idiot-proofing measure. I remember it.

 

[gristle]

Did this corner provide an explanation as to how a police officer on site magically stops an "accident" from happening?

 

[wonderboy416]

Pretty soon these cops will be provided rocking chairs to sit on for their paid duties...

 

[pilinha]

the reason for cops being at construction sites is because there was a fatal accident at one a decade ago, and the coroner recommended it as an idiot-proofing measure. I remember it.

So now every construction site has to have a cop on duty because of it? Maybe it's time to revisit this one.

 

[GenerationW]

Pretty soon these cops will be provided rocking chairs to sit on for their paid duties...

That would have been a great premise for a Seinfeld episode............no, wait.

 

[oldpackard]

police at construction sites

at $65.00/hr who better to stand around with the other constructiion workers and watch one man dig a hole.

 

[drone]

when I first came to Toronto, I couldn't see the reasoning behind having officers at construction sites. I think a basic security company would suffice, but, an armed officer?