Councillors to discuss cutting paid-duty cops

Councillors to discuss cutting paid-duty cops

Members of city hall's public works committee are set to discuss a plan that would result in fewer paid-duty police officers at construction sites in Toronto.
If approved, the change would eliminate the requirement to have paid-duty officers present at construction zones within 30 metres of an intersection with traffic lights.
Scrapping the requirement would result in more police-free construction zones and $1.3 million in savings for the city in 2012.
Under the new plan, employees with the city's transportation services and Toronto Police Service and the permit applicant would decide which traffic-control measures would be appropriate for the proposed construction project or street event.
The committee, chaired by Denzil Minnan-Wong, will decide Thursday whether to endorse the plan, but it requires the support of city council as a whole to be approved.