Police training may be focal point of Cst. Forcillo trial, says security expert

WATCH: Full interview with security analyst Ross McLean on the murder charge of Toronto police officer James Forcillo

TORONTO – A Toronto police officer who is facing a second degree murder charge in the shooting death of 18-year-old Sammy Yatim aboard a TTC streetcar will have his training scrutinized in court, according to security analyst Ross McLean.

“When it comes to your training and that moment, that crisis moment, if you’ve done your training well, that’s what you resort to and that’s what you go to,” said the former Toronto police officer during an interview on The Morning Show Tuesday.

“There isn’t a panic that goes in your mind, you look you do your assessment, and you respond according to your training, so training is going to be a big part of this trial,” McLean explained.

After a month-long investigation, Ontario’s police watchdog made the call on Monday to charge Constable James Forcillo for murder when he allegedly shot the Toronto teen nine times last month.

McLean says eyewitness video captured during the shooting is one of the key factors in the Special Investigations Unit’s (SIU) decision.

“I think this video is the driving force behind what took place here because the public has seen it,” McLean said. “Normally all the public gets from an investigation to a police shooting or serious injury is an SIU summary of the incident, it’s not very fulsome as this video is of telling it.”

McLean insists a lot of questions are being raised by the public and police services across the country about the effect the murder charge might have on officers.

“Whether or not it’s going to cause officers to hesitate, they might not pull their guns so quick, and therefore put an officer at risk,” he said.