A male driver is under arrest after two Toronto parking enforcement officers were assaulted during parking infraction dispute in the city’s west end, say police.
The incident happened early Monday afternoon in the Oakwood Village neighbourhood, near Vaughan Road and Glenholme Avenue, just west of Oakwood Avenue.
Police said they were called to that area at 12:09 p.m. after a parking enforcement officer requested help during a dispute.
They allege that a male driver assaulted two parking enforcement officers. The officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to the hospital.
The driver, meanwhile, was arrested and taken to the hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries.
Speaking with the media at the scene on Monday afternoon, Duty Insp. Jeff Bassingthwaite said that police were called to the area of Vaughan and Glenholme due to a parking enforcement officer “receiving verbal abuse from a member of the public.”
“Officers arrived on the scene then the man became violent,” he said, adding that one of the injured officers went back to the station, while the other officer was taken to the hospital with a shoulder injury.
“None of the injuries are deemed to be serious at this time, however this is still unacceptable violence in the city,” said Bassingthwaite.
Vaughan Road remains closed from Glenholme to Oakwood as police investigate.
This latest arrest comes just weeks after Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw called a recent rise in assaults on parking enforcement officers a “disturbing trend” and vowed that those who commit such acts would face “very, very serious consequences.”
Demkiw said that Toronto police would “do everything (they) can to hold people accountable when they assault our members.”