Misconduct substantiated against five Toronto officers over Project Olive Branch podcast
An independent investigation found misconduct not only by the two officers who hosted the podcast, but also by the three supervisors who approved it.
An independent York Regional Police investigation has substantiated misconduct against five Toronto Police Service officers over the controversial Project Olive Branch podcast, concluding they undermined public trust by discussing politically sensitive issues on an official police platform while in uniform.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw ordered the review after the podcast drew international backlash.
Juno News has obtained the investigative report, which examined complaints arising from Episode Two of the Toronto Police Service’s Project Olive Branch podcast.
Project Olive Branch was launched in response to tensions following the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel.
According to the report, the initiative aimed to strengthen relationships with Toronto’s Muslim community after concerns were raised about trust in police and perceptions of impartiality. By April 2024, Toronto Police had responded to 759 demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Episode One aired in December 2024. By Episode Two, things had gone sideways.
