Despite an order from Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders, many officers on duty were still sporting Toronto Police Association (TPA) ball caps on Tuesday.
Corporate communications spokesperson Mark Pugash told AM 640 that a memo from the Chief was issued to supervisors across the city’s divisions reinforcing that all on-duty officers must wear “approved uniforms only.”
Since Thursday, officers have been donning the caps in a demonstration over staffing cuts.
READ MORE: Toronto police wearing baseball caps over staffing concerns: union
“There’s been discipline threatened,” TPA president Mike McCormack said on The John Oakley show. “But again, our membership feels this is an important issue involving public safety and working conditions.”
When asked about what potential punishment an officer could receive for not abiding by the dress code rules, McCormack said there is a range of disciplines from “a caution to losing days.”
LISTEN: President of the Toronto Police Association Mike McCormack on The John Oakley Show.
The union has been vocal about a recent shift in staffing levels for street officers and the Toronto Police Service Command Centre, which deals with emergency calls.
According to McCormack, 331 positions have been lost this year so far, including 207 uniformed officers which equates to almost 500 lost since 2010, with a reduction of another 400 planned.
“That’s an entire division gone.”
Despite these issues, union reps remain optimistic that the city’s modernization plan can be adjusted to appease both the union and council without compromising public safety.
“We’re in dialogue with the Chief around what we can do, and I’m very optimistic that we can move on from this issue,” said McCormack.
WATCH: Mike McCormack says Toronto Police Association members are ‘fed up’ over a lack of resources
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