Jack Ackroyd

John Wesley Ackroyd (1925 – September 29, 1992) was a prominent Canadian Chief of Police and high level Ontario civil servant. He served as the chief of the Metro Toronto Police Force from 1980 to 1984. Known as an ideas man, and 'kind cop' he introduced community policing when he was the deputy chief. Though later, during his term as the chief, the biggest mass civilian arrest since the Second World War occurred in Toronto's Gay district. Following his retirement from the police force, he was head of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario from 1984 to 1990, where he modernized the retail operations and its marketing.

Policing career Jack Ackroyd joined the Toronto Police Department as a cadet, in 1941. He rose through the ranks and by the mid 1970s, he was a deputy police chief. During this period he earned the nickname "Kojak", after the 1970s TV show and character Kojak. The crisis was more political than real; nevertheless, under pressure from Toronto mayor David Crombie, Ackroyd had to plan and implement a neighbourhood sweep on the scale of the 1968 Yorkville sweep. Like in the Yorkville "crisis", Yonge street did not pose a major policing problem. The police were not raising a fuss for something to be done, it was the politicians, this time led by Crombie. Another factor driving this sweep was economic, as the newly opened Eaton Centre did not want this 'riff-raff' near its business establishment.

1981 Bathhouse raids Jack Ackroyd became the Metro Force's Chief of Police in 1980 following the tenure of Harold Adamson (police chief). Again political – not policing – concerns overshadowed how the Gay Community around the Church and Wellesly area should be monitored. During Ackroyd's first year as the chief, there was both a municipal election in November 1980, and a provincial one in March 1981.

A few days later on February 5, 1981, under his reign as police chief, one of Canada's largest civilian round-ups occurred in the city's gay ghetto. It was the infamous "Bathhouse raids" and as the CBC reported "the largest mass arrest in Canada since the October Crisis of 1970." 286 people were arrested,

Large protests followed these raids, and the raids became a rallying symbol for the Gay community. Because the raids took place in the middle of a provincial election, it was seen by many observers including the Toronto Star, that the raids were politically motivated to help the ruling Conservative government gain a majority. His career was an interesting dichotomy of progressive reform with the community-based policing approach, as well as accusations that the police force became an instrument for political advantage as seen in his handling of the policing of the Gay community.

Post Police Chief career

Head of the LCBO At the age of 58, Jack Ackroyd made a career change: he became an Ontario Civil Servant, by accepting the position of vice-chairman of the LCBO.

Sickness and death Ackroyd spent many months confined to a hospital bed due to a blood illness. He died in the early morning hours of September 30, 1992 at Toronto General Hospital from long-term complications due to the blood disorder.

An official tribute, on the floor of the Ontario Legislature, by Bob Runciman, the MPP for Leeds—Grenville, stated that "Jack Ackroyd set an example that continues to be the goal of Metro's men and women in blue. While he will be sadly missed by us all, there is comfort in knowing that his style and professional manner will be with us for many years to come."

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