Police Too Busy to Do Their Job?

Why Don't Police Enforce the Safety Laws?
BOTH Police and TTC NOT Doing Their Jobs!

TTCnotices Official TTC Tweets Westbound 506 Carlton streetcars are holding near Bathurst due to a collision.  (a tweet about 5:30pm on Monday, May 30)

.... So why is this meaningful?

Because about an hour and bit earlier,  Monday May 30, I was on another westbound 506 Carlton streetcar when an expensive white car (Mercedes? Licence number 130XK129) zoomed past the streetcar almost causing a car-streetcar collision because the car driver decide he could cut in front of a moving streetcar who would be forced to stop. The same car then sped through a red light ahead of us.

Less than half a block on, a Toronto Police officer stood chatting with construction workers as he watched the car zoom past.

.... So why is this meaningful?

Because Sunday night, May 29 at 7:03pm on a Queen West Streetcar (#4235 westbound) just east of Beaconsfield, when the same expensive white car (Mercedes? Licence number 130XK129) zoomed past the fully stopped streetcar, with open doors, almost hitting a passenger stepping off the curb to board..

A few seconds later we passed a stopped police crusier with 2 officers just sitting inside. No radar trap, guess they were on a break. Following the white car as I had several stops to go, I saw it suddenly make a right turn (no signal) down a side street. Definitely no police car in pursuit.

(Note: I have made repeated suggestions to the TTC that they need to crackdown on cars ignoring stopped streetcars, giving ideas like external mounted photo radar and swing out stop signs like school buses, but it has been a total waste of time. Emails direct to TTC CHair Karen Stintz are ignored)

.... So what else about this topic?

My local Tim Horton's on the southeast corner of College and Lansdowne has a clearly marked DISABLED PARKING ONLY near the entrance to the coffee shop. I regularly see people without disabled stickers park there. Even when I point out they should not do that ($400 fine I think) I am told to F-off by the offenders. Staff there frequently try to get people not to park there but are routinely ignored.

Last Friday night, May 27 in late afternoon TWO Toronto Police cars pulled up, FOUR officers went in to get their coffee (no donuts). As I was leaving, I saw yet another non-disabled stickered car parked in the offending spot. Since the officers were leving, I pointedly and clearly asked them to ticket the car. Aside from one officer asking another (there were 3 others), "Hey You got any parking tags?", the whole thing was ignored. Both teams got busy rearranging their trunks, sat in their cars and had coffee briefly before they both just drove off in different directions. No sirens, emergency call that I could see.  I took a few cellphone snaps of the police, crusiers and offending vehicle

While the 4 police officers were 'busy', the driver of the car, a young woman, came out and made to drive off. I stopped her, saying "Boy You were lucky. It's a $400 fine and police are coming to ticket you". The bizarre response was for her to pull out of the space, then pull back into it for about 3 minutes (waiting?), then she pulled out and drove off.

If police don't want to do the basics of their jobs (is it beneath them?) why do they deserve the regular whopping pay increases?

- Disgusted.

See also:
Paid Duty Policing Costing Taxpayers Millions

* Update : Mayor Ford takes on 'Handicapped Parking Issue' http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1013603--ford-wants-to-get-tough-on-handicapped-parking-violators

Like a Dog With a Bone

Toronto Humane Society Continues to be Haunted by Tim Trow

Adjective like a dog with a bone:(simile) Stubborn; persistent; relentless; dogged

"A call to bar Mr. Tim Trow from holding office at the THS" ... someone started a petition to try to keep Tim Trow from getting his clutches back on The Toronto Humane Society Link to site. (349 names so far)

On Craigslist, there is a call for a peaceful demonstration against Mr Trow.Tuesday, May 31 at 4:30pm:
"We support a Toronto Humane Society (THS) that is cruelty free. We support a THS that operates legally and honestly with full transparency. A THS that helps all animals and has a working relationship with other rescue groups and organizations. We support a THS that is moving forward in the world of animal rescue. We support a THS that does NOT have board members who were previously under investigation for animal cruelty. Tim Trow and the former board of directors were all under investigation for animal cruelty in 2009, You can read some of the court documents and sworn affidavits from previous Vets and employees here: http://saynototrow.webs.com/   You can also read the technicalities that lead to the charges being dropped in the links on that site. As some of you may know, Trow and a slate of his supporters are running for election to the Board of Directors. The LAST thing in the world that the Toronto Humane Society needs is any involvement from Trow. Please take a minute to look through the website to find out why. We will participate in a peaceful demonstration outside the Toronto Humane Society at 11 Rivers Street on May 31, 2011 at 4:30PM, prior to the AGM which starts at 6pm. We will gather to demonstrate that we DO NOT support Tim Trow or any of his supporters running for the Board, and will be showing our support for the current Board and celebrating all the positive changes they have made since being elected one year ago. The animals of the Toronto Humane Society need you again. We invite all interested Torontonians to take part and show your support for a positive and united future for the Toronto Humane Society that does not involve the leadership of Tim Trow."

The Toronto Humane Society, which appears has fallen to a membership low of about 1800 from the 3300 of pre-Trow days, and has seen donations tank due to the antics of Mr Trow and subsequent very bad press (Globe Investigation Killing them with kindness by Kate Hammer May 29, 2009 Link ), found itself with a completely new, non-Trow board last year after a judicial order for new elections. The new board has been meeting frequently and has worked hard on restoring the organization from the ground up.

Disclaimer: I am running for the one of the five vacant positions, and have been recommended by the current board to its membership. There are four  EIGHT! Trow supporters and Mr Trow himself who are trying to make a comeback as the old slate. There are others running as well. The board consists of 15 people, with 5 positions planned to come up every year as 3 year terms expire. * Update: here is a link to everyone and everything about the AGM. 18 people running now.

What is startling is the frenzy of activity going on. Mr Trow's own site  http://timtrow.ca/ has been running since he was ejected from office and he makes whatever allegations seem to suit his purpose, including throwing whatever dirt he can find at the new board's efforts, often enlisting old guard friends like Peter Worthington of The Sun ( LINK ) and various anonymous blogs and Facebook friend pages.

Suprising too, is the number of animal welfare blogs that continue to condemn his negative antics:
http://supportanimals.wordpress.com/  (used to be anonymous, public, recently marked private, but when I read it made all sorts of unsubstantiated claims)
http://socialmange.blogspot.com/  (Tim Trow has been making frequent mass mailings to the society's membership, even submitting his own revised, preferential - and confusing! proxy form)
http://animalfarm-selkie.blogspot.com/
http://saynototrow.webs.com/ Tells us that:
"As you may know, Tim Trow and his supporters are running for the board of directors at the Toronto Humane Society. They are running as a slate called the 'Animals First Team.' Members include;Tim Trow, Bob Hambly, Margaret Ann Johnson, Tony Marner, Ian McConachie, Antoine Musiol, Carol Lupovich, Wilfred 'Bud' Walters. They are hoping for a takeover of the current board, removing the current President, Vice-President and Chair." The site also posts pictures (WARNING: graphic detail, disturbing!) of what was found during the investigations last year link

I am sure I missed some blogs, but I continue to be astonished by Mr Trow's self-delusional belief he is somehow good for the animals. The man is a lawyer (his site says: "Legal counsel for 28 years with the Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario" which means he probably not only has friends in high places, but also is skilled with presenting his views in a believable way, no matter the situation. In one of his many letters to persuade members with his version of the truth, he says: "The animals need you and me like never before". Really ???

I hope media and the citizenry and everyone who really cares about animals pays very close attention to this dangerous man.

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* Update: On a lighter note, here is a video link to a confused dog "Dog's Own Leg Tries To Steal Bone" .... sometimes you just have to laugh.
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* Update: No media even bothered to cover a very successfull weekend open house at Toronto Humane Society, nor did they do anything with last week's be kind to animals week and awards ceremony May25 (Included Simcoe, an 18-hand, eight-year-old Toronto Police Mount and MC Gord Martineau)..... I guess Toronto papers are only interested in bad news... if it bleeds, it leads.... sigh

* Update: At least local community paper noticed someone Link
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* Update: A couple of more mini news bits and blogs...
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/29/urban-scrawl-humane-society-needs-involvement-now-more-than-ever/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/30/two-groups-battle-for-humane-society-board/
"The election will pit former president Tim Trow and four of his allies against a board-endorsed slate of five candidates, including two members running for re-election and one long-time volunteer....A total of 18 candidates are running for the five available seats."

Way to go with simplistic reporting National Post! Yes, Tim Trow and 4 others are running for the 5 available seats, but in a last minute move, Mr. Trow has 3 more on his slate (ie 8 not 5) and hopes to make a motion to turf the top 3 anti-Trow loyalists so he can grab majority on the 15 member board.

One has always to remember Mr Trow is a lawyer, a profession Readers' Digest survey lists as way down the list as most trusted professions, just above car mechanics.

* Update: Sorry, I seem to have neglected an important reference to what the Tim Trow fuss is all about... here is a LINK to the OSPCA Ontario website where anyone can view the official court documents, affidavits, photos etc of just what the police/ospca investigations found, as well as explanation of why our justice system failed to prosecute.

Running for Election - Again

Toronto Humane Society Elections are coming: May31

I am a candidate running for election to the board of the *new* Toronto Humane Society. My name is Ken Wood.

The 123rd Annual General Meeting of The Toronto Humane Society will be held on Tuesday, May 31, 2011 at 6 p.m. at 11 River Street   Weblink is HERE

There are 15 seats on The Toronto Humane Society Board of Directors; five are up for election at the 2011 AGM. Directors are elected by the membership and serve for a three-year term.

Tim Trow and his own slate are running for election as well. I certainly hope they do not get back in, since tremendous damage was done to THS by Mr. Trow's actions. Should any of them be successful, it only means discord, disruption and possible dysfunction on the board. I believe those loyal to the Trow way of doing things are: Bob Hambley, Ian McConachie, Tony Marner, Margaret Ann Johnson. They represent the scandals of the past, in my view. Some of the entries on this, my blog, dealing with Mr Trow and THS and my views on animals are: here , here , here , here , here , and here.

If any of you reading this are members, please support me. Mr. Trow has traditionally relied on securing proxies of members who do not attend the meeting (which is a legal course of action), but often those same members are not aware of what has and is happening at THS.

This is my bio:

Ken Wood is a longtime animal caregiver who has had pets since he was a child. He believes that animals teach us compassion and caring for other human beings as well. Familiar with not for profit organizations and governance issues, Ken has served as a board member on the Daily Bread Food Bank and Mainstay (supportive) Housing. Ken recently ran as a city council candidate to highlight the need to update our animal bylaws and recognize the need to spay and neuter our pets. He says the biggest challenge facing the Toronto Humane Society has become fundraising and the urgent need to reach out to a new generation of those that care about animals. We must ensure a stable and vibrant THS for now and into the future.

Tim Trow might recall me looking something like this back when I was protesting his reign over the THS:

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* Update: Surfing for latest information on Toronto Humane Society on twitter and came across this link:
Day in the Life of an Animal Care Worker. Also, in recent news this: Day in the Life: City Animal Care Officer.  And in related news: Pet Police Knocking on Doors ...

Notice the difference? In one case, animal caretaker gets paid $11.50/hr, while the City run Toronto Animal Services Bylaw Officer get paid  between $62,150 and $70,054 a year (about $38/hr). Makes you wonder why the gravy train is still running in Ford nation....