Parole denied for man who killed Toronto police officer in 1994

TORONTO – A man who killed a Toronto police officer more than three decades ago has again been denied parole.

The Toronto Police Association said it’s pleased that Clinton Gayle was rejected in his bid for day parole, his fourth attempt at release.

“Today’s decision to keep a murderer behind bars offers a measure of hope that Canadians can have confidence in our justice system,” union president Clayton Campbell said in a statement Thursday.

“Nevertheless, important gaps remain, and we are committed to advancing the reforms necessary to address them.”

The Toronto police website says Const. Todd Baylis and his partner were chasing down a drug trafficking suspect in June 1994 when the suspect fired at Baylis, hitting the 25-year-old in the head.

The union said Const. Mike Leone was seriously injured after being shot as well. 

Gayle was found guilty of first-degree murder and attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.

He is serving his life sentence at a minimum-security prison in British Columbia.

The union and relatives of Baylis are calling for reforms to Canada’s parole system after experiencing what they called “serious” issues ahead of Gayle’s parole hearing.

They say they were given 20 days’ notice of an in-person hearing for Gayle and that the Parole Board of Canada rejected their request to push it back by four weeks to accommodate travel plans.

They wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, calling for reforms including “immediate guidance” to the parole board pending legislative changes to accommodate requests made by victims and ensure they’re given adequate notice to participate in hearings.

The parole board has said it is committed to facilitating “meaningful” participation of victims in the parole process. The board must also respect procedural fairness, it said, and hearing dates “may also be affected by requests from the offender to postpone, waive or withdraw their review.”

Public Safety Canada has said the government would listen to proposals that address victims’ needs and strengthen their role in the correctional system.

The Toronto police union said Thursday’s decision came two days after another man convicted of killing a Toronto police officer had his parole revoked after being arrested in British Columbia.

It has said Const. Michael Sweet and his partner responded to an armed robbery at a bar on March 14, 1980, when he was shot. The union said backup arrived, but the suspects held the two officers hostage and refused to let Sweet get medical treatment.

Police said they stormed in and tried to rescue him, but the 30-year-old had lost too much blood and died in hospital. 

Craig Munro was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole eligibility for 25 years.

Victoria police confirmed Munro had been arrested but did not say when he was taken into custody or why.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2026.