Scot Magnish

p. 29.

Fantino met gays

York Regional Police Chief Julian Fantino is privately more interested in the job of being Toronto's top cop than he's publicly let on.

Councillor Kyle Rae said the York chief met quietly with Toronto's gay community leaders earlier this week in a bid to assume claims that he's an anti-gay.

"They weren't convinced," Rae said yesterday. Whether the secret meeting means Fantino is in the running to replace retiring Toronto Police Chief David Boothby remain to be seen. Fantino couldn't be reached last night and Police Services Board chairman Norm Gardner says a "short list" of candidates has not been completed.

Gardner did say he expects to name Toronto's next top cop "by the middle of next week, end of the week at the latest."

Other candidates believed to be in the running are deputy chiefs Mike Boyd and Steve Reesor and superintendents Ron Taverner and Bill Blair.

Sources say at least two senior officers from outside the force have also applied.