New guide on how to report missing persons in Toronto aims to dispel police mistrust, increase transparency

Ethan Lang · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 30, 2025 1:56 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

Toronto constabulary person a caller usher connected however to study missing persons successful the city, fulfilling a proposal successful an autarkic study that criticized however constabulary person handled these cases successful the past.

The caller usher provides a fig of resources for radical looking to study a missing person, including:

• What to bash erstwhile idiosyncratic goes missing.

• What happens aft a missing idiosyncratic study is filed.

• How to enactment with Toronto constabulary during a missing persons investigation.

• How searches for missing persons are conducted, and what the investigative process looks like.

• Supports disposable done Victim Services Toronto and different assemblage agencies.

• Information connected unidentified remains.

• Guidance if you are reported missing.

• Prevention strategies.

In a quality merchandise Wednesday, Toronto constabulary said the caller usher demonstrates the service's "ongoing committedness to service the assemblage to the highest modular erstwhile a idiosyncratic goes missing."

Transparency, connection lacking successful past cases: report

The usher fulfils 1 of the 151 recommendations successful a 2021 autarkic reappraisal of the Toronto constabulary force's handling of missing persons cases.

The in-depth review, prepared by erstwhile justice Gloria Epstein, recovered "serious flaws" successful however missing persons cases person been handled, saying "systemic discrimination" had contributed to respective investigations, including those looking into the victims of serial slayer Bruce McArthur.

Among the issues outlined successful the report, Epstein said the work was lacking successful its connection with the public, and a mistrust of constabulary from definite assemblage groups "rooted successful systemic oregon overt bias oregon discrimination."

WATCH | 2021 study finds 'serious flaws' successful however Toronto constabulary analyse missing persons: 

The co-chair of the squad of assemblage representatives that helped make the usher with constabulary says it addresses immoderate of those spot issues.

"Throughout this process, we person heard from assemblage that determination is simply a deficiency of transparency connected constabulary processes and misinformation connected however oregon erstwhile to study idiosyncratic missing," said Haran Vijayanathan, with the Community Representatives of the Missing and Missed Implementation Team, successful the constabulary quality release.

The usher "serves to enactment assemblage to recognize the processes truthful that they are assured asking for assistance from the constabulary service," helium said.

It provides accusation for radical with concerns astir reporting to police, for instance, including however to study if you can't recognize English oregon are disquieted astir however reporting mightiness impact someone's migration status.

"Being missing is not a crime," the usher says. "If you are a unfortunate oregon a witnesser successful immoderate case, the constabulary volition not inquire astir your migration status, unless determination is simply a bona fide reason, which happens lone successful uncommon and circumstantial situations."

WATCH | Police officials respond to 2021 report: 

Toronto constabulary said successful the Wednesday quality merchandise that portion "progress has been made to amended nationalist information and assemblage spot successful missing idiosyncratic investigations, determination is much enactment ahead." The merchandise said the work volition not halt until each 151 recommendations of the study are afloat implemented.

In June 2024, constabulary reported the work had fulfilled 71 of the 151 recommendations. CBC Toronto has reached retired to Toronto constabulary for the latest numbers, but did not person an contiguous response.

The caller usher was co-developed by Toronto police, the assemblage representatives of the missing and missed implementation team, and assemblage agencies representing "diverse social, taste and spiritual groups," the merchandise said.

The usher tin beryllium recovered connected the Toronto Police Service website here.