Toronto police are refusing to let their armed, off-duty officers earn extra cash at Muzik pending a review of the nightclub’s security measures in the wake of last week’s double homicide.

“Paid duties were suspended for reasons of public/officer safety” while the review is underway, Toronto Police Service spokeswoman Meaghan Gray wrote in an email.

Last week, a man was shot dead inside the venue and a woman fatally wounded after leaving the club, located in a city-owned building at Exhibition Place.

The victims were among an estimated 4,000 people who attended a music festival after-party hosted by Toronto hip hop star Drake. Three others were injured in the city’s worst case of gun violence in 2015. No suspects have been arrested.

Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said he supports the force’s move, “to make sure that every security precaution was taken and the right security plan is used by Muzik.”

However, the bigger issue is the brazenness of gunmen using firearms in public places, he said.

Last December, five paid-duty officers were present at the House of Lancaster when a man was shot multiple times outside the strip club on The Queensway in Etobicoke.

“It’s not an issue about the club (Muzik). It’s an issue about this whole gun mentality,” McCormack said.

Off-duty Toronto police officers are available for hire to assist with traffic control, construction activity, funerals, film shoots or providing security at sporting events, concerts, weddings, community and school events.

Any organization or business can request a paid-duty officer. The service considers each request “on a case-by-case basis,” using the same set of criteria, such as crowd estimates, what other security is involved and what has occurred at past events.

During the evening, there was a large contingent of on-duty officers on site, along with 10 paid-duty officers “as part of the normal security protocol,” Muzik said in statement released last week. In addition, there were 73 security guards, including 15 who swiped patrons with metal-detecting wands and conducted body searches.

The organization said last week it “prides itself on being one of the safest event venues in Toronto with security procedures that meet or exceed all industry standards.”

Muzik closed its doors last weekend, and the club continues to fully co-operate with the police investigation.

“It’s too soon to comment regarding our plans for this weekend, but we are committed to ensuring this never happens again,” club spokeman Jeff Chatterton wrote in email. He did not directly address the Star’s questions about the ban on paid-duty officers.

Paid-duty work in Toronto is controversial. Critics argue that much of the work performed by sworn police officers — who earn a minimum of $200 for a four-hour shift — could be done by others for a lot less money.

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The service and union argue that having extra uniform police officers on city streets can help prevent crime. “We’re there to try to prevent this stuff, and we are a deterrent,” McCormack said.

Under the terms of agreement, posted on the TPS website, “a paid duty may be cancelled by a police officer on the site of the paid duty where there is a concern for public safety.”