Mark Saunders (police officer)

Mark Saunders OOM (born 1962) is a Canadian police officer who served as chief of the Toronto Police Service (TPS) from April 26, 2015 to July 31, 2020. He was selected by the Toronto Police Services Board on April 17, 2015, to succeed Bill Blair following Blair's retirement in April 2015.[1] Saunders is the first Black Canadian to lead the Toronto police and the second Black Canadian to lead a police force in Canada (having been preceded by Devon Clunis of the Winnipeg Police Service in 2012). [1] Saunders stepped down on July 31, 2020.[2][3]

Mark Saunders

OOM
Saunders in 2015
Chief of the Toronto Police Service
In office
April 26, 2015 – July 31, 2020
Preceded byBill Blair
Succeeded byJames Ramer (interim)
Personal details
Born1962 (age 58–59)
London, England
CitizenshipCanada, United Kingdom
Spouse(s)Stacey Saunders
ResidenceToronto, Ontario, Canada
Alma materUniversity of Guelph-Humber
OccupationPolice officer

Early life and education

Saunders was born in England to Jamaican parents.[4] His family moved from England to Quebec, and in 1969, they settled in Milton, Ontario. He was student council president while attending Milton District High School, and also attended W. I. Dick Middle School, J.M. Denyes School, and Martin Street Middle School.[5] He earned an honours bachelor of arts in justice studies from the University of Guelph-Humber.[6]

Toronto Police Service

Saunders began his policing career after graduating from high school. Before being appointed chief in 2015, he held the position of deputy chief in charge of specialized operations command. He has had assignments with professional standards, urban street gang unit, intelligence division, drug squad, community safety command, and emergency task force, and served as the unit commander of the homicide squad.[6][7]

In August 2019, the Toronto Police Services Board extended Saunders' five year contract by one year, until April 2021.[8] However, on June 8, 2020, Saunders announced his retirement effective July 31, 2020 after serving 37 years with TPS, stating that the reason was to spend time focusing on being a father.[7]

Key Moments as chief of police

During Saunders' six years as chief of police, he led the Toronto Police Service through three notable crises:

Toronto van attack

The Toronto van attack was a vehicle-ramming attack that occurred on April 23, 2018, when a rented van was driven along Yonge Street through the North York City Centre business district in Toronto, Ontario. The driver targeted pedestrians, killing 10 and injuring 16, some critically.[9] The incident is the deadliest vehicle-ramming attack in Canadian history.[10]

Danforth shooting

The 2018 Toronto shooting, known locally as the Danforth shooting, was a mass shooting that occurred on Danforth Avenue in the Greektown neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, on the night of July 22 which killed two people and wounded thirteen. The shooter committed suicide after a shootout with TPS officers.

2010–2017 Toronto serial homicides

Between 2010 and 2017, a series of men disappeared in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In the early part of the decade, Toronto police had created Project Houston, a divisional task force which linked the disappearance of three men of South Asian or Middle Eastern origin to Church and Wellesley, Toronto's gay village. The investigation was unable to determine if the disappearances were related or if a crime had been committed. In mid-2017, amid public speculation of a serial killer in Church and Wellesley, evidence was gained from another missing-persons investigation which led TPS to create a second divisional task force, Project Prism. In January 2018, Project Prism investigators obtained evidence connecting two disappearances to Bruce McArthur, a 66-year-old self-employed landscaper, whom they arrested on January 18, 2018.

Resignation

Saunders announced his resignation on June 8, 2020. July 31, 2020 was his final day as chief – 8 months prior to the expiry of Saunders' contract.[7] Saunders said he made the decision to leave sooner in order to "put family first".[11]

Post-policing career

In December 2020, Saunders joined the COVID-19 vaccine task-force for Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario.[12]

Personal life

Saunders has four children with his wife Stacey; they live in Etobicoke.[13][14]

In October 2017, Saunders had a kidney transplant surgery with his wife as the donor. Saunders was born with only one kidney and underwent nightly kidney dialysis at home for 15 months prior to the surgery. He stated that the family went public about the transplant in order to raise awareness of the organ donation program.[15]

Honours

RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Merit of the Police Forces (OOM)
  • Officer
  • Appointed January 8, 2015[16]
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • Canadian version of this medal[17]
Police Exemplary Service Medal

References
  1. Royson James (April 19, 2015). "Mark Saunders named Toronto's next police chief". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  2. Westoll, Nick (June 8, 2020). "Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders resigning at the end of July". Global News. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  3. "Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders announces his departure from TPS, effective July 31, 2020". torontopolice.on.ca (Press release). Corporate Communications for the Office of the Chief. June 8, 2020. Archived from the original on June 8, 2020.
  4. Powell, Betsy; Pagliaro, Jennifer (March 27, 2015). "Two deputies in spotlight in search for a diverse police chief". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  5. Slack, Julie (April 21, 2015). "New Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders a former Milton resident". Inside Halton. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  6. "Command Officers' biographies: Mark Saunders, Chief of Police". Toronto Police Service. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  7. "Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders stepping down". CBC News. June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
  8. Herhalt, Chris (August 27, 2019). "TPS Chief Mark Saunders' term extended by one year to 2021". cp24.com. Archived from the original on August 27, 2019.
  9. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/toronto/article-toronto-van-attack-what-we-know-so-far/
  10. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/23/world/toronto-van.html
  11. Freeman, Joshua (June 8, 2020). "Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders stepping down next month with a pension of $280,000 a year". CP24. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  12. https://nowtoronto.com/news/ex-toronto-police-chief-mark-saunders-ontario-covid-19-vaccine-task-force
  13. Wilson, Codi (October 2, 2017). "Toronto police chief to undergo kidney transplant on Monday". CP24.
  14. Gillis, Wendy (April 20, 2015). "Saunders pledges more community input on carding". Toronto Star.
  15. Katawazi, Miriam (October 6, 2017). "Mark Saunders thanks public for support after kidney transplant". Toronto Star.
  16. "Order of Merit of the Police Forces Mark Saunders, O.O.M." The Governor General of Canada. October 5, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  17. "The Diamond Jubilee Medal: Saunders, Superintendent Mark". The Governor General of Canada. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
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