Police supervisor faces misconduct charge over alleged ‘racist’ messages

A Toronto police supervisor is facing a misconduct charge for an allegedly “racist” text conversation with a senior police leader who is the subject of separate charges related to promotional cheating.

Staff Sgt. Kirwin Marshall allegedly exchanged text messages with Supt. Stacy Clarke “that were inconsistent with the Service’s Core Values,” according to a notice detailing his charge before the Toronto police internal disciplinary tribunal.

“During your conversations with Supt. Clarke, you made comments that belittled the Pride parade, contained racist or ethnic stereotypes and were insulting to senior officers of the organization,” reads the notice of hearing, which was released after Marshall’s first appearance before the tribunal on Thursday.

The notice does not detail the specific contents of the text conversation.

Clarke is separately facing disciplinary charges for allegedly providing exam questions to six fellow Black officers who were seeking to be promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Throughout the fall of last year, Marshall assisted Clarke in mentoring junior officers for the promotions process, according to the notice describing his charge.

In February 2021, Clarke became the first female Black officer to hold the rank of superintendent in the service’s then 183-year-old history.

Marshall, who is assigned to 14 Division in a uniform capacity, is co-chair of the Toronto police Black Internal Support Network. On Thursday, he told the Star he would not comment on the case and directed calls to his lawyer.

“He has been a member of the Toronto Police Service for over 30 years and has given everything to the service,” and has himself been subjected to racism within the service, lawyer Sandy Khehra told the Star.

Marshall is “looking forward to the opportunity to give his side of the story” at the tribunal, Khehra said.

According to the notice of hearing, the text messages were uncovered after Clarke’s cellphone was seized in December 2021 amid the cheating investigation.

Clarke is not facing disciplinary charges over the text conversation with Marshall, police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer wrote in an emailed statement Thursday.

Clarke is, however, facing an additional Police Services Act charge — her fourth discreditable conduct charge — related to other text messages found on her phone, Sayer wrote.

The Star has learned through multiple sources familiar with those text messages that they involve communications with a member of the Toronto Police Services Board and a civilian Toronto police employee.

The police service declined to confirm the nature of the text exchanges. Joe Markson, the lawyer representing Clarke, did not respond to a request for comment.