Jeffrey Reodica
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jeffrey Reodica was a 17 year old boy shot and killed by police in Toronto, Canada. The Grade 11 student at Jean Vanier Catholic Secondary School was shot three times by a plainclothed Toronto police officer, Det.-Const. Dan Belanger, on May 21, 2004. Reodica died in hospital three days later, on May 24, 2004. [1]
Although accounts differ, it is generally accepted that Reodica was part of a group of Filipino teenagers who were pursuing another group of white teenagers, following altercations between the two groups. Belanger and his partner, Det. Allen Love, responded to an emergency call, and were in the process of arresting Reodica when Reodica reportedly lunged at Love with a knife. Belanger then shot Reodica three times. [2]
The shooting was investigated by the Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU). Belanger and his partner were eventually cleared by the SIU who accepted their story that Reodica lunged at them with a knife. The Reodica family rejected these findings.[2]
Because Reodica was in police custody at the time of his death, a mandatory coroner's inquest into his death was called. [2] The inquest took place from May to October, 2006. The jury made seven recommendations at the close of the inquest. Two of the recommendations were directed to the Toronto Police Service, specific to how plainclothes officers should be equipped and identified when responding to emergency and other calls. The jury also recommended that the Ontario Police College include training on the use of provincially-mandated expandable batons, and made recommendations on standardizing the way in which certain types of evidence should be presented at inquests.[3]
As a result of the inquest recommendations, the Toronto Police Services Board authorized purchase of armbands and raid jackets with police markings for all plainclothes officers, beginning in 2008. As well, unmarked police cars will be fitted with additional identifying equipment, including a siren package.[4]
