The tally keeps on going up, as Torontonians (as of this posting) have now raised more than $176,000 and counting for the legal expenses of Umar Zameer.

On Sunday, the 34 year old accountant was acquitted of all charges in the death of Detective Constable Jeffrey Northrup who died when Zameer mistakenly backed up his vehicle over the officer after Zameer and his family were approached by plainclothes officers on July 2nd 2021 in the Nathan Phillips Square parking garage.

Zameer has faced mounting legal costs in the three years since his arrest, prompting his wife Aaida to start an online fundraiser with a goal of $200,000.

Meantime, the OPP has agreed to an independent review of plainclothes procedures requested by Toronto’s police chief as a result of the adverse comments made by Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy in the trial.

Chief Myron Demkiw said shortly after the verdict was read, the police service had hoped for a different outcome.

But on Monday, a statement from Demkiw says as chief, he was acknowledging the emotions many members of the police service were feeling while struggling with the death of a fellow officer, but “of course, closure can never come at the expense of justice.”