WARMINGTON: Are antisemites within Toronto Police the problem or is it the whistleblower cop?

B'nai Brith Canada calls for police chief to bring in an outside investigator to probe retired cop's claims of antisemitism and anti-black racism

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Published Apr 23, 2026  •  Last updated 5 minutes ago  •  4 minute read

Toronto Police homicide Insp. Hank Idsinga speaks about the 2019 homicide rate, the Sherman family case and Danforth murders on Thursday, April 4, 2019. (Jack Boland/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network)

To ensure the truth is unearthed from shocking allegations of police antisemitism and anti-black racism from a former senior Toronto Police officer comes demands for an outside investigation.

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“B’nai Brith Canada and the Jewish community have a long and proud relationship of working with the police. To ensure that this relationship can be maintained, there must be a fulsome investigation into these allegations,” Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy for B’nai Brith Canada, said Thursday.

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“This investigation must be conducted by a third party, in order to ensure its efficacy,” he added.

But on vile claims of racial religious discrimination and corruption in the complaints process being brought to the public’s attention by retired Insp. Hank Idsinga, the first move by the Toronto Police was to criticize the complainant.

The pushback by police is becoming as much the story as the disturbing allegations of racism. If a legendary retired head of the Toronto Police Homicide Unit, who handled some of the service’s most important cases during his 34-year career, is not worthy of listening to, who ever would be?

But the Toronto Police Service seems to be doing damage control instead of investigation.

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Police push back

“Thousands of TPS members show up every day to serve this city. It’s unfortunate that in retirement, Mr. Idsinga has chosen to make claims that will undermine public trust in policing and diminish the work they continue to do every day,” Toronto Police civilian spokesperson Nadine Ramadan said, responding to the Toronto Sun asking if an investigation has been opened to look into Idsinga’s assertions.

It was the same response Sun crime columnist Brad Hunter received 24 hours earlier from Toronto Police civilian spokesperson Stephanie Sayer.

The launch for the book The High Road, the debut memoir from Hank Idsinga, will be held at Noonan’s Pub on Thursday, April 23, 2026.

Why are non cops judging and condemning Idsinga publicly? Why is the Toronto Police Service not more curious to hear him out?

Oddly, it’s not the alleged officers who the retired cop claims displayed racist actions and words that are being called out – it’s Idsinga.

Yet, what he is accusing the police service of participating in, and overlooking, is damning.

All of this has come to light from his newly released memoirs called The High Road: Confessions of a Homicide Cop. In this book, and in interviews with the Toronto Sun and CBC, the 58-year-old respected detective reveals supervising police officers allegedly used terms like a “Jew-cue” for a barbecue or “f—ing Jews” or commenting grossly on people’s race.

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Idisnga said a person handling racism complaints may be the same cop who made racial remarks.

“A person like that should not be in the position when they can affect the responsibilities of the police service, which is solving crimes,” Idsinga told CBC. “They can determine what crimes are investigated and the ones that are not.”

B’nai Brith wants independent probe

But Toronto Police seem to be treating this as the betrayal of a former, disgruntled insider rather than a well-intentioned whistleblower shining light on something potentially sinister.

“Toronto Police will not comment on allegations being made as part of a book promotion,” both Sayer and Ramadan said dismissively to Hunter and me.

Why not?

National Crime Columnist Brad Hunter, left, and legendary TPS homicide boss, Hank Idsinga. BRAD HUNTER

Doesn’t matter how the allegations came to light

“It does not matter how the allegations came to light, they are now in the public realm,” B’nai Brith’s Robertson said. “What is important is that the allegations are investigated and fulsomely addressed in a manner that allows the Jewish community and other impacted communities to retain their trust in the TPS.”

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“The allegations made by Detective Idsinga suggest a culture of systemic antisemitism and racism impacting senior members of the Toronto Police Service. These allegations have the propensity to undermine the public confidence in the TPS,” he added.

In the repeat message to the Sun, Toronto Police also said, “Our Professional Standards Unit has contacted Mr. Idsinga directly and invited him to be interviewed regarding the content of these allegations for the purpose of investigation. These are very serious claims, and notably, ones he did not raise through any of the formal channels available to him during his time with the service.”

Former Toronto Police homicide Insp. Hank Idsinga. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun

This is akin to somebody on a ship at sea saying they have discovered a hole in the hull and the reaction is to question if the person went through the proper channels to report it. If this was a sexual assault case, police would not get away with this approach.

Ramadan and Sayer added: “We have clear, established mechanisms for members to report concerns, including confidential and independent options. Those systems exist for a reason. He chose not to use them. We hope he will now.”

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It’s like Idsinga is the one who is in trouble. TPS should be embracing their peer, not trying to discredit him.

Like he did by referring the Project South corruption case to the Ontario police watchdog, Chief Myron Demkiw should pass this over to an independent party to read Idsinga’s book, investigate and only worry about ridding the service of antisemitism and anti-black racism if found.

Read More

1. 

   Antisemitism, racism hurting Toronto Police culture, former homicide chief says

2. 

   HUNTER: TPS homicide chief Hank Idsinga hangs up gun and badge

3. 

   WARMINGTON: This Passover sees Toronto Police carrying semi-automatic rifles outside synagogues

4. 

   Senate report on anti-Jewish hate calls for return of antisemitism envoy

Meanwhile, Idsinga – whose grandfather was Jewish and was murdered in the Holocaust – feels his point has been proven.

“So, I make it clear that you can’t complain within the TPS because all complaints go through the chief and they’re inviting me to complain now as a citizen, to be handled by them?“ Idsinga told the Sun. “I wrote a memoir. I’m not complaining. I didn’t complain because I was well aware that formal complaints about certain people went absolutely nowhere, and it would be more detrimental to my remaining years.

“To now suggest that I file a civilian complaint is laughable,” he added.

The chief can fix this by bringing in a non-affiliated investigator.

Idsinga wrote his book The High Road, now Toronto Police need to take one.

[email protected]

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