John Duncanson

p. B8.

Gardner to battle association over poster

The Toronto Police Services Board has vowed to continue its efforts to persuade the police union to admit it made a "regrettable" error when it ran a subway poster depicting gang members as Latinos.

Board member Norm Gardner told Hispanic community leaders yesterday at the board's monthly meeting that he will fight on their behalf to resolve the issue with Craig Bromell, president of the 7,000-member Toronto Police Association.

The poster depicted a gang from East Los Angeles and asked people to consider law and order issues when they voted June 3.

It was removed from the Yonge-Bloor subway station on May 31 after three weeks. Hispanic community leaders were slow to respond at first but have since launched a campaign to have the police union apologize and its executives take courses in ethno-cultural sensitivity.

The TTC has already apologized to the community. Advertising Standards Canada, the industry's watchdog, has indicated the poster may have violated its standard of acceptable depictions of people.

The Ontario Human Rights Commission is also considering opening an investigation.