Toronto Police Service Superintendent Pleads Guilty to Helping Black Officers Cheat in Promotions Process

The first Black female to serve as superintendent with the Toronto Police Service has pleaded guilty to seven counts of professional misconduct for her role in providing six Black constables with answers to cheat on their promotions exam.

Supt. Stacy Clarke believed her efforts were justified because of the slow pace she saw in promoting Black candidates for promotions within the Toronto Police Service, her lawyer Joseph Markson argued during the tribunal hearing.

“As the first Black female superintendent in the history of the Toronto Police Service, Supt. Clarke has been running uphill and against the wind for more than 26 years,” said Markson.

“In these unique and extraordinary circumstances, there is a straight line in connecting systemic discrimination in policing towards Blacks, Supt. Clarke’s lived experience, and the facts of misconduct to which she had pled guilty. She is extremely remorseful for her misconduct. However those acts of misconduct were rooted in real despair, real hurt and real pain.”

Clarke pleaded guilty to all seven counts last fall after she was caught providing pictures with the answers to questions for officers in the promotional process, which included three counts of breach of confidence, three counts of discreditable conduct, and one count of insubordination.

All of the incidents occurred in 2021; she was promoted to superintendent the year before.

While her misconduct could merit a dismissal, TPS isn’t pushing for that.

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Hutchison told the tribunal that he would not object to introducing evidence and witnesses that could illuminate what he called a “pernicious problem of anti-Black racism.”

According to Hutchison, TPS are seeking a two-rank demotion to staff sergeant for a one year period before returning Clarke to the rank of inspector at the end of that year.

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