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WARMINGTON: New Toronto Police helicopter not seen in search for Esther

· Toronto Sun

At what point can Toronto Police use their new helicopter when searching for a missing child?

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Police have not answered questions about the status of the helicopter.

From all accounts, it appears the $134-million Airbus H135 helicopter has yet to be used in the search for missing 14-year-old Esther.

Why not? Isn’t that what it’s for?

Certainly, when police went out for a photo op in October 2024 to show off their new toy, they indicated using it to help find missing people was one of the benefits of the provincial government helping Toronto fund the air support.

“Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says new helicopter air support from the Government of Ontario will allow the Toronto Police Service (TPS) to respond quickly and effectively to priority events such as gun crimes, home invasions, carjackings, robberies, natural disasters, and missing persons, with minimal impact on the public,” said a news release at the time .

Helicopter is to help locate vulnerable, missing persons

Demkiw was quoted in that release: “I want to thank the Ontario government and Solicitor General Michael Kerzner for this much-needed air support to keep our city safe. A helicopter will help us get even more guns, and the criminals who use them, off our streets. A helicopter will help us apprehend those who are breaking into homes and stealing cars. A helicopter will help us find missing and vulnerable persons. In short, a helicopter will help us fight crime in our city and save lives.”

No one has seen this helicopter around during the search for Esther. Police have not responded to questions about this so far. People did see lots of parking enforcement vehicles and officers in Earl Bales Park on Victoria Day – including one parking officer who personally told two Jewish women taping up missing posters that they had to move along.

As it closes in on a week since Esther has vanished, the focus on the search for her has shifted from North York to downtown Toronto. In fact, Matthew Taub, of Unapologetically Jewish, is asking for volunteers to start commencing their search in the city’s core – and that includes handing out missing posters and putting them on poles and in storefronts.

Her parents Shira and Joseph say their daughter is a gentle soul who makes friends with people easily.

Known by her family as Esti, the girl disappeared with her phone and was last seen inside Earl Bales Park.

Police have now established a dedicated tip line to help them with the search.

“To enhance and streamline our ability to collect information, we have established a dedicated phone line. Anyone with information that could assist us in locating Esther is asked to call 647-355-4148.”

Searching downtown now

Toronto Police Insp. Jon Rose told reporters in a scrum Thursday afternoon outside the park’s community centre that it is believed Esti is wearing a “turquoise” sweater. He did not indicate the search is now focused more downtown but did say there has been an extensive search of the park which is wooded and has a ravine.

Rose called this now a Level One search and explained that this designation gives police more tools than when it was a Level Three search. This was new to me that when looking for a missing child, there are different levels of protocols that can be deployed by Toronto Police. When I first wrote about this case on the Victoria Day weekend, I already thought it was an all-hands-on deck situation and there was a utilization of all available equipment – no matter what level the search is at.

Police have said the marine and mounted units, as well as heat seeking drones, have been assisting. There have been no reports of the K9 Unit being deployed in the search. Police have yet to comment on why the service’s helicopter has not been used as part of this search.

There will need to be some clarity on how this works going forward. The public needs to know when additional resources come into play.

The public also deserves to know what the status is of the police helicopter and why it hasn’t been noticeably deployed in this case?

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