Mark Saunders pens letter to Pride Toronto seeking active role in future parades

Chief Mark Saunders urged Pride Toronto to let police continue to march in its parade, one month afterBlack Lives Matter Toronto (BLMTO) called for a ban on police floats.

At the July 3 parade, BLMTO staged a sit-in at the parade until Pride organizers agreed to a list of demands. BLMTO's most controversial demand proved to be a ban on police floats in the parade, which it described as a stark reminder of police brutality.

• Pride says it 'never agreed' to exclude police

The following day, Pride said it never agreed to exclude police from its events, but would have discussions with the force about what its future involvement would look like.

At the time, Saunders said he would wait to see whatPride Toronto would decide, but on July 27 he sent a letter to the organization outlining why he believes police should be involved.

"We value our relationship with Pride and it is important to us to continue playing an active role in the parade," Saunders wrote in his letter, which was released today by police.

The letter doesn't mention BLMTO by name, but does reference the conflict.

"Despite attempts by some to undermine the relationship between my Service and the LGBTQ communities my Service and I have been grateful for the overwhelmingly positive response from people all over the city, from those inside and outside the LGBTQ communities."

Relationship between police, LGBTQ community improving, chief says

Saunders formally apologized for the 1981 bathhouse raids this June.

He also highlighted the steps police have taken to improve the relationship with the LGBTQ community, including the addition of gender neutral washrooms at police headquarters and new guidelines for how officers handle transgender people.

The chief vowed the current controversy would not change those efforts.

In the wake of BLMTO's protest, Toronto Mayor John Tory and police association president Mike McCormack voiced their support for police floats at pride. Several officers, including one who identifies as gay, also voiced their desire to remain in the parade.

BLMTO said it is fine with police officers who are part of the LGBT community marching in the parade.

BLMTO was an honoured group at this year's event.