Foreign officers to help Toronto cops manage international fans during FIFA World Cup
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TORONTO — Toronto police will work with officers from other countries to manage international fan groups during the FIFA World Cup, the force said in an update a week before the international soccer tournament’s first match in the city.
Officers from abroad will share intelligence on their respective countries’ fan bases and give “credible situational awareness,” which will help Toronto police respond appropriately should an incident arise, Deputy Chief Robert Johnson said last Friday as he laid out additional details on World Cup preparations.
When asked what differences police expect to see among international supporters, Johnson said the fan experience and dynamic vary greatly with each team.
“People celebrate differently, people support the teams differently, some more aggressive than others,” he said. “So we want to make sure that we are able to understand the crowd dynamics of an individual group that we may not have had experience with here in Toronto.”
