Peel police target systemic racism on force
Plan calls for community engagement, action plan by winter, board hears
Peel Regional Police have created an anti-racism advisory committee, retained expert advisers, and have now released timelines for a plan aimed at putting a lid on systemic racism and discrimination across the service, the Peel police board heard Friday.
Insp. Joy Edwards, a Black officer serving as the humans rights project lead, told the Peel Police Services Board that once the Ontario Human Rights Commission and Peel police agree on the scope and content of the recommendations to attack systemic racism across the service, they will present the agreement to the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, which will then set out the legally binding terms and conditions.
“We’re establishing organizational change throughout our training, our culture and our hiring practices,” Edwards told the board, adding that they’re also exploring the formation of an independent governing body to provide oversight.
Edwards also shared preliminary timelines highlighting plans to start community engagement sessions and surveys this summer, craft draft recommendations by the fall, finalize the draft and establish an action plan by the winter.
The process culminates, early next year, with the adoption of a legal binding agreement between the police board, police service and the Human Rights Commission.
“There’s probably a bit of consternation about the speed at which this project is moving, but we wanted to make sure we get it right,” she said of the plan aimed at restoring the trust of Black, Indigenous and racialized communities in Peel police.
Those timelines could change a bit due to unforeseen hurdles, “because this is new for us,” she said.
Friday’s update comes seven months after Peel police signed a memorandum of understanding with Ontario’s Human Rights Commission that commits the service to develop legally binding ways to address systemic racism and discrimination.
Edwards said an anti-racism advisory committee, composed of experts and people with lived experiences, has been formed to review and advise on gaps in the proposed recommendations.
The service has also brought on independent experts in antiracism crisis intervention and de-escalation training, as well as two renowned academics, to create policies for human rights data collection.
The team includes Lorne Foster, a York University researcher who has led race-based studies into other police services, including Ottawa police, who will dive into the data captured from officers’ interactions with racialized people.
Edwards said that data will be released to the public.
Police say the data collection will cover all racialized groups including people of Asian descent, who have reported increased instances of discrimination in recent months.
Peel police have signalled that they’re willing to undertake meaningful reform by facing the reality of systemic discrimination, said Ena Chadha, chief Ontario Human Rights commissioner and a Peel resident of five decades.
She said segments of the community have legitimate and serious grievances, and some families believe their relationships with Peel police have been irreparably harmed.
Chadha commended the service for engaging experts in race-based data collection, anti-racism and de-escalation training, and for the formation of an anti-racism and human rights committee. The force has displayed a willingness to address structural barriers, implement monitoring mechanisms, and address community calls for de-escalation and police defunding, she said.
“These binding commitments will not be finalized unless we reflect the experiences and the issues of communities (Black, racialized and Indigenous) affected by policing in Peel,” she added.
Police board chair Ahmad Attia said the remedies are also aimed at boosting transparency and improving public trust in policing.
Attia sought clarity on how the service will engage its officers, because police embracing the project is key to its success.
The board heard that Edwards has been making presentations to the rank and files, starting with superintendents and staff sergeants, to keep them abreast of the plan.
Board members expressed broad concern about the need for thorough and transparent community consultation.
“Success is going to be critical to the community engagement,” so people see themselves reflected in the direction and it’s not just coming from the institutional perspective, said board member and Brampton Coun. Martin Medeiros.
Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie pointed to racialized advocacy groups that have a “huge mistrust of police,” and said members of her Black caucus have expressed reticence around issues of trust and accountability. She called for widening the scope of engagement “so that we can reach the grassroots.”
Chief Nishan Duraiappah said there will be dissent from some groups that “will not be confident no matter what we do.”
“No matter which turn we go we’re going to have voices that will perhaps question the authenticity and the likelihood of success,” he said. “This is the bold aspect of change and moving forward. We need to stay the course.”
Since taking over in October 2019, Duraiappah has already spearheaded changes including collecting race-based data, implementing body-worn cameras and ending police presence in schools.
“There’s an opportunity to do better and make some system changes that have affected people in a disproportionate way,” Duraiappah added.
“There’s an opportunity to do better and make some system changes that have affected people in a disproportionate way.” NISHAN DURAIAPPAH PEEL REGIONAL POLICE CHIEF