One of Toronto’s police leaders is on a leave of absence after giving a speech calling for drastic cost saving changes to the police service.

Deputy Chief Peter Sloly said on Friday the police force could make better use of data and technology, that it wastes money on infrastructure and that top brass had laughed at his calls to improve use of social media, which he said could have changed the course of two multiple shootings in 2012, at Danzig Street and the Eaton Centre.

Toronto Police spokesman Mark Pugash says he does not know how long Deputy Chief Sloly would be away from his duties or if he had previously planned to take time off this week.

Sloly has long been considered a rising star at the Toronto Police Service. He once spearheaded a review of community policing and was seen as a front runner to become the new chief last year. Current Chief Mark Saunders got the job.