The head of the civilian board that oversees Toronto police wants to know why a major cop corruption trial has collapsed.

If there are any "deficiencies, they will be dealt with," Alok Mukherjee, chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, said Thursday.

Critics say the demise of the case against two formerly high-profile officers calls into question whether police and the Crown are able or willing to bring allegedly corrupt cops to justice.

On Wednesday, the Crown announced it would not appeal a Dec. 7 decision by Justice Bonnie Croll staying charges – due to delays – against Rick McIntosh, former head of the police union, and William McCormack Jr., son of a former Toronto police chief.

The two officers were accused of shaking down Entertainment District bar owners. The judge also threw out related charges against Const. George Kouroudis.

Croll blamed much of the delay on the lead investigator, Staff Insp. Bryce Evans, for his "disingenuous" handling of an informant.

Defence lawyer Edward Sapiano said police should issue a report explaining what went wrong. The public is also losing faith in the Crown's ability to handle such cases, he added.

This is the second major Toronto police corruption case in two years to be thrown out over delays. But the first, against former drug squad officers, was restored on appeal.

A Crown spokesperson called the incompetence allegations unfounded. Prosecutors have the expertise to handle complex prosecutions and the Crown has taken recent steps to improve performance, said Valerie Hopper, spokesperson for the attorney general.

Former Toronto mayor John Sewell, a member of the Police Accountability Coalition, called the case's demise "very worrisome." His group wants Chief Bill Blair to acknowledge the problem and pledge reform.

Police spokesperson Mark Pugash said the force is reviewing Croll's ruling "to identify whether there are any steps that we need to take."

He dismissed charges that police don't have the will or ability to prosecute cop corruption. "I know too many ... first-class investigators who work unbelievably hard."

He said the force has for years been improving the way it handles informants and discloses evidence to the defence – both major issues in the recent case.

McIntosh and McCormack have left the force and so cannot be disciplined internally, Pugash confirmed. Police Act charges against Kouroudis will be reviewed, he said.