■ OUTSASKATOON AND POLICE
Outsaskatoon says it is “reassessing” its relationship both with the Saskatoon Police Service and the RCMP in light of a video showing a 27-year-old Manitoba man being punched repeatedly by officers in the course of an arrest.
The organization, which provides services to and advocacy for Saskatoon residents who are 2SLGBTQ+, made the announcement in a Facebook post Wednesday evening.
On Monday, a near seven-minute-long video of Evan Penner’s July 4 arrest was posted online. In it, a Saskatoon police officer attempts to take Penner into custody, straddling him and striking him several times while the man struggles and cries out. The officer repeatedly tells Penner to stop resisting.
Later in the video, other police officers are seen arriving at the scene before Penner is shocked with a Taser and later subdued.
The incident is now under investigation by the provincial Public Complaints Commission. One officer involved has taken a few shifts of leave, which is common practice when officers respond to serious incidents.
Outsaskatoon interim executive director Krystal Nieckar said recent events have put police officer behaviour, use of force and systemic racism in the spotlight. She said the relationship historically
between police and the 2SLGBTQ+ community has not been great and as time has progressed, the community feels it’s time for change.
Representatives from Outsaskatoon met with Saskatoon Police Service Chief Troy Cooper and a member of the service’s Cultural Resource unit on July 3, following the discovery in June of social media posts described in a police media release as “harmful and offensive” to gender and sexually diverse people on an officer’s social media account.
Nieckar said those involved in the meeting left feeling “hopeful” it was the start of something good. She said Cooper committed to continuing the conversation and the discussion touched on training, policies and not having gendered detention cells, which can be harmful to people who are transgender.
She said Cooper spoke of understanding there was a disconnect between the education officers receive and how it transfers into their daily work in the community. She said the organization is seeing a disconnect between what Cooper
says and officers’ actions in the community.
“Then unfortunately, the events of the weekend happened with Evan Penner, and it just sort of reinforced for us that there needs to be change,” Nieckar said. “We know it’s not going to happen overnight.”
Nieckar said such incidents can create fear of the police in marginalized communities.
“That can be scary, frightening and not an easy way to live your life, particularly if you are marginalized,” she said adding they want to see change in action.
In a statement emailed to the Starphoenix, the Saskatoon Police Service said its own position has not changed.
“We recognize and value the relationships that we have with various groups in our community, including the Indigenous and gender and sexually diverse communities. We remain committed to building those relationships and putting in the work that is necessary to do so,” police said in the statement.