City police roll out training on bias awareness, inclusion

Training on bias awareness and equity and inclusion is being incorporated across the city's police service, the Edmonton Police Commission heard Thursday.

Since 2012, such training has been given to recruits joining the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), but recently an online learning module on unconscious bias awareness was made mandatory for both sworn and civilian members, said Matthew Cheung, a methods analyst in the EPS equity, inclusion and human rights branch, in a presentation to the police commission.

“If we automatically react to people based on a common identifiable trait, we run the risk of unconsciously treating them differently based on our stereotypes, regardless if these are positive or negative impressions,” Cheung said. “Our automatic associations can thereby undermine integrity, respect and fairness to different groups of people. For example, in law enforcement it can impact who is considered suspicious, what questions are asked and to what people and ultimately, who becomes arrested.”

Currently, all patrol officers are taking part in the module. It is expected to be rolled out to the rest of the organization in the coming month. The objective of the training is so that participants can explain what bias is, describe how unconscious bias can negatively influence decision making and perceptions of people, and apply strategies to manage and interrupt bias.

The bias training is part of ongoing employment development within the EPS community policing curriculum as well as other initiatives related to equity, diversity and inclusion.

“We believe it is important for our area to begin conversations surrounding topics of equity and inclusion,” Cheung said. “Many of the issues that we see today in our service and also across the country may also be attributed to the lack of consistent and formal education on these topics.”

Other initiatives the service is focusing on includes an inclusive language guide, which provides a glossary of terms for members to use to have “inclusive and respectful” communication with the public. The service is also assessing the promotion process for potential barriers some might face.

Meanwhile, EPS says it is in talks with media about granting access to communications after switching from the old Enhanced Digital Access Communication system (EDAC) to an encrypted radio system earlier this month.

The switch to the Alberta First Responder Radio Communications System (AFRRCS) on Jan. 4 meant members of the public and media could no longer listen to police communications. EPS cited concerns over privacy and information being shared over the radio as well as officer safety for their decision to not grant access to the encrypted system.

However, during the commission meeting Thursday, Justin Krikler, the executive director for legal and regulatory for EPS, said there has not been a change in privacy laws that made it so media could no longer have access to the radio communications.

“Now that there's an infrastructure to support it, that's the way that it's going,” Krikler said. “The EDAC system is one that didn't support encryption and so we didn't have the opportunity to do it. Now that we do, we want to honour our obligations to those people that we serve.”

Edmonton police Chief Dale Mcfee said the service is willing to work with media outlets on finding a solution for access to police communications.