Toronto Woman Called ‘Female Belligerent’ by Police Fights Traffic Tickets—and Wins

A Toronto charity director who was fined hundreds of dollars after being accused of running a stop sign has successfully fought the tickets and won.

Vashti Anderson, 62, challenged the allegations after police records described her as a “female belligerent” for disputing the officer’s version of events. Her own search for evidence later uncovered police and surveillance videos showing that her car did stop at the stop sign.

Anderson Says She Knew She Did Nothing Wrong

Anderson told CTV News she was shocked by the ticket because she knew she had not committed the offence.

She said she felt strongly that the allegation was false and decided to prove there was no issue with her driving.

Her effort to clear her name lasted more than a year and raised questions about the conduct and motivation of the officer who issued the tickets.

Police Notes Described Her as “Female Belligerent”

One of the most troubling discoveries for Anderson came through a Freedom of Information request.

The officer’s notebook described her as a “female belligerent.”

Anderson said the wording shocked her and suggested bias. She said she believed the phrase revealed the type of officer she was dealing with and showed how he viewed her for defending herself.

Traffic Stop Happened in April 2025

Anderson was stopped on April 6, 2025, around 10 a.m.

The traffic stop happened on Avon Drive, near Eglinton Avenue West and Black Creek Drive.

Body camera video shows the officer telling Anderson that he saw her look once and drive through the stop sign.

Anderson immediately denied it.

Officer Initially Said He Would Give Her a Break

Anderson had left her driver’s licence at home, which is also a violation.

In the video, the officer says he will give her a break on that issue.

After returning to the police vehicle, he tells his partner that he is going to be “very nice.”

However, the situation changed after Anderson continued to insist she had stopped.

Officer Threatened More Tickets

The body camera video shows the officer telling Anderson she was already getting a ticket.

When she continued to say she was innocent, he told her he would give her “all the tickets.”

Records show Officer Upinder Singh later issued a $110 ticket for running the stop sign, a $110 ticket for failing to provide a driver’s licence, and a $65 ticket for failing to surrender an insurance card.

This happened even though video shows Anderson trying to provide an insurance slip.

The insurance ticket appears to have later been rescinded by the officer.

Anderson Conducted Her Own Investigation

Anderson did not want to pay the remaining tickets or have them on her record, so she began gathering evidence herself.

She found surveillance footage from a nearby church showing her blue sedan stopping at the intersection.

She also requested videos and records from Toronto police through freedom of information.

The police in-car video also showed her vehicle stopping at the stop sign.

Body Camera Shows More Allegations

The body camera footage also shows the officer accusing Anderson of cutting him off.

However, she was never given a ticket for that allegation.

In his written notes, the officer wrote that Anderson said she was going to the police station to complain about him.

Anderson Faced Court and Complaint Problems

Fighting the tickets required Anderson to work through a difficult bureaucracy.

She said a court “system error” initially resulted in the tickets being mistakenly upheld.

Correspondence was also sent to the wrong address.

She said her first complaint to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency was rejected after the agency wrongly referred to her case as involving “criminal proceedings” and mentioned the “seriousness of the charges.”

In reality, the tickets were issued under the Highway Traffic Act, not criminal law.

Tickets Withdrawn in Traffic Court

Anderson eventually received a hearing in traffic court.

She presented the videos and other evidence to the prosecutor.

After reviewing the material, the tickets were withdrawn.

Former Toronto Mayor Criticizes Officer’s Conduct

Former Toronto mayor John Sewell, now with the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition, said the situation should never have happened.

He said the body camera video clearly showed Anderson was not belligerent.

According to Sewell, it was the officer who acted aggressively.

He said Toronto Police should proactively review the case and that the police chief should become directly involved in discipline if an officer clearly acted wrongly.

Toronto Police Says Complaint Can Proceed

Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said that now that the charges have been resolved, an officer has contacted Anderson to inform her that her complaint to LECA can move forward.

Sayer said the service expects officers to enforce the law fairly, behave professionally, and treat the public with dignity and respect.

She said established processes exist to review concerns about officer conduct.

LECA Defends Dismissal of Complaint

A spokesperson for LECA said the decision to dismiss Anderson’s complaint was consistent with its policies.

However, the agency did not explain why its investigator described the Highway Traffic Act tickets as criminal charges.

LECA is allowed to reject complaints when the person still has matters pending before courts or tribunals.

Anderson Still Wants Accountability

Anderson is the executive director of Women of Excellence Support and Relief Organization.

She said she is still seeking accountability.

She also said she now wears the “female belligerent” label with pride because standing up for herself led her to the evidence that proved she was right.

Anderson said she believes there may be other similar cases and that she simply chose not to remain silent.

Vashti Anderson’s case shows how difficult it can be for an ordinary driver to challenge a traffic ticket, even when video evidence supports them. After being accused of running a stop sign and labelled “female belligerent” in police notes, Anderson gathered surveillance footage, police video and records that proved her car had stopped. Her tickets were eventually withdrawn, but she says the larger issue is accountability and fair treatment by police.