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. 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==