** (Disclaimer: Video posted strictly for educational and information purposes only) **
A Toronto family has demanded a public apology after two police officers were caught on dashcam footage mocking a woman with Down syndrome during a traffic stop, describing her as disfigured and something less than a whole person. “I feel hurt; it really hurt my feelings. I was disgusted by what they said about me,” said Francie Munoz, 29. In December 2016, two Toronto police officers pulled over Pamela Munoz, who had her two daughters with her in the car, for allegedly running a red light. Pamela Munoz said she believed the light was amber when she drove through an intersection. The officer who issued the ticket told her the incident was recorded on video and that she could fight the ticket in court. When Munoz received the tape as part of the disclosure prior to her court date in June, it was marked as having no audio.
But she soon heard the officers on the video mocking her daughter Francie, who had been sitting in the back seat. One officer can be heard saying there are “two-and-a-half women” in the car instead of three and then goes on to describe Francie as “disfigured …or different,” with the other officer laughing and agreeing. “Artistic.…That’s going to be my new code word for … different,” says the officer. Pamela Munoz says she believes the officers were unaware their comments were being recorded. One of the officers can also be heard joking about the women, who had a pizza with them in the car, saying, “They’re [probably] nibbling on it right as we speak.” Pamela says that at first she was simply upset about her demerit points, but listening to the tape changed everything. “Obviously I was extremely upset.
My blood was boiling. I’m still very upset, but at that moment I was enraged,” she said. “These are the people we’ve told Francie to trust, to go to when she needs help.” She and Francie asked the police officers to publicly apologize and go through training to make sure this doesn’t happen again. “I can’t believe two officers would conduct themselves in this manner … that they’d be this inhumane in their comments,” said Pamela. “They don’t respect, obviously, people with disabilities or people that are different than them.” The president of the Toronto Police Association said he has spoken with the officers involved, who say the comments are out of character for them and not something they are known for in 22 Division. “They say their comments were totally inappropriate and [they] will do everything they need to do, including an apology and sensitivity training … to make it right,” said Mike McCormack.
The Munoz family say it means a lot to them that Chief Mark Saunders, as well as Mayor John Tory, have both reached out to them. Francie would like to see police officers receive better training for dealing with people with disabilities, something she advocates for herself through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). She appears in several campaign videos for CAMH, helping to educate people on what it’s like living with Down syndrome. “It’s a teachable moment. Here is something we can all learn from … how it feels for a person to be spoken about in a certain way,” said Yona Lunsky, a clinician-scientist at CAMH. “When we’re thinking about diversity, we think about certain types of diversity. Disability is another kind of diversity that we all need to be better sensitized to.”
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** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
I don't know what this lady is complaining about ..
It happened in a country which dropped a bomb on a city, instantly annihilating 500,000 people.
so his is hardly important in comparison.
I agree to a certain extent of what other people are saying. Yes we all say jokes behind closed doors. But I’m in the USAF and these guys are cops. We fight for their freedom. If they were room to the officers I could understand. But to me PERSONALLY. I think this is uncalled for.
So sad that America is policing speech with such draconian gusto.
they should lose their job by statute.
Dickheads
cops cant say anything anymore apparently
People
Thinking it’s ok it’s NOT. Guess what only way this video is public is because the girl requested a copy other than that a video like this wouldn’t be made public which means they watched cops call his names as they get tickets which is just horrible and I’m sure they got suspended.
What a couple deucebags. Really why is it so many cops seem like just horrible people. They give a bad nake to all the cops who really are good people and really do want to help.
People, get this; Just because it “happens all the time†doesn’t mean we should let it continue to happen. It’s not “ dark humorâ€, it’s mocking a person about something they have no control over. Law Enforcement Officers should be held to incredibly strict standards, and people who go around disparaging those that are different, should not make the cut.
Pos cop's
I don't know why those idiots laughed at "Artistic", it could actually be taken in a good way. Like ->
"There are not mistakes, just happy accidents" – Bob Ross
The first thing that came to my mind when they mentioned the word "Artistic" in that context.
Jesus fucking wept yall gonna cry about it. Most of you wouldn't have made it through Xbox live chat room let alone life
Wow, mean Canadians. Who would have thunk it?
This. I mean look I can’t say it doesn’t anger me. I don’t think all cops are perfect. But I think if you took the job to protect others and respect your town you shouldn’t be makin a comment cause whatever happens after life whoever sits up there and makes those calls is gonna make y’all kids “half a girl†“disfigured†and “artistic†laugh it up cops HAHAHHA
I dont see why banter isnt allowed thing is yall can say you've never cracked those jokes before but we all know that's a lie I dont feel like anyone did anything wrong, tbh he was respectful to her even regardless of the jokes he made, I'm sure they didnt pull her over because of how she looked as it's not easy to see in the dark. So i dont doubt that she ran a Red Light.
cant blame them . they werent making fun of the down syndrome human . they were laughing about the fact the parent or relative said “artistic†instead of “autisticâ€
I can't listen to it until the end, it disgusts me
Although this is considered mean, they didnt say it to her face and so it's not that bad… can I also say this is the first time I've heard a cop laugh
I was in the British Forces for 14 years. THANK. FUCK. we never had bodycams. Everyone would’ve been in big trouble. This conversation is mild as fuck compared to the evil we’d come out with on an hourly basis. It was expected of us lol
OMG I had to replay that because I didn't first believed what I heard, did he really say "Two and a half" and "Artistic"??? WOW what a bunch of assholes!!! But Karma is a Bitch!!!! They will get it back!!!
Aren't Toronto cops wonderful. I will never forget the time when a Toronto cop treated me as though my value was no greater than the value of a rats anus. And then there was the time when a neighbour held a party and invited her brother, who was a Toronto Cop. After a few drinks he started to tell stories of how cops REALLY treat people, stories of what he personally had done to people. Once finished, his sister said, "You are my brother, but now that I know you much better, I want you to get the f-ck out of my house, and I never want to see you ever again.".
It’s a private conversation so I won’t fault them for it. That said, why mock disabled people? Don’t they have it tough enough?
WHO HASN'T MADE FUN OF RETARDS COME ON LMAO
DOWNS=ABORTED
END OF STORY
Shoot these idiot cops in the back of the head execution style.
Fucking asshole
I'm now physically disabled due to a genetic disorder. I wasn't always this way. I know people talk/make jokes but at least have the decency to do it off camera. Law enforcement is held to a higher standard. And remember you never know what your future holds, you could be in that person's shoes someday.
I say shit like this almost daily. It's called joking.
It was funny. Humorous. Called it like it was. If our words & thoughts were censored, there’d be no happiness in our world. Get over it. It happened.
Its just a shame they call people who are born differently like this, not her specifically
Here in Hawaii we have a saying to where if you mock someone because of their differences somewhere along the line you or your family will face the same
cops cant say anything anymore apparently
I say shit like this almost daily. It's called joking.