Two police officers who were recorded on a dashboard camera video mocking a woman with Down syndrome had their disciplinary hearing adjourned until Oct. 18.
Const. Sasa Sljivo and Const. Matthew Saris did not appear in court on Tuesday. The woman’s family and supporters showed up at the police tribunal and expressed their frustration over the delays.
“We were told a plea was forthcoming. That did not happen,” Pamela Munoz, Francie’s mother, told reporters at Toronto police headquarters.
“They keep pushing. They keep telling us, ‘You don’t need to come to the next one. Your supporters don’t need to be here.’ They want to discourage people from coming. They want people to forget about it and sweep it under the rug.”
Sljivo is charged with misconduct related to the use of profane, abusive or insulting language. Saris is charged with misconduct related to the failure to report Sljivo’s comments, which contravened the Ontario Human Rights Code, according to police documents.
READ MORE: Toronto police officers allegedly mock girl with Down syndrome during traffic stop
Munoz previously told Global she was driving along The Queensway in Etobicoke with her two daughters in November when Toronto police pulled her over, claiming she drove through a red light.
But while the two officers from 22 Division were writing her a ticket, they could be heard mocking her daughter Francie on a video obtained by the family.
The hearing comes after both officers issued a written apology to the Munoz family earlier this summer.
“What they said about me, laughed at me, hurt many people,” Francie told reporters on Tuesday.
The family has stated they would like the officers to make a public apology on camera, but Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said one “would not be forthcoming.”
Pamela said that regardless of the outcome of the police tribunal, the family will proceed with filing a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario.
Faisal Bhabha, Munoz’s lawyer, said the family wants the Toronto Police Service to address the underlying problems of discrimination among members of the force.
“Faith in the police has been eroded as a result of the comments of the officers in this incident and we need to see more from the chief and from the force on a systemic level to improve the culture, to improve training and sensitivity from the officers,” Bhabha said.
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