Paola Loriggio, Canadian Press Published Thursday, June 16, 2022, 2:48 PM EDT Last Updated on Thursday, June 16, 2022, 4:25 PM EDT
TORONTO – The release of unprecedented Toronto police statistics showing disproportionate use and use of force against blacks renews calls for police release two years after the city council voted against such a proposal.
Following the release Wednesday, several anti-racist groups and civil rights activists said community safety would be better achieved by shifting police funding to social benefits and services.
Desmond Cole of the No Pride in the Police Coalition said that instead of reassuring the police that they would do better in the future, the group was seeking a “political solution” from Toronto’s mayor and council, which faces municipal elections this fall.
The lack of funds and the eventual removal of the police will help ensure that “they can no longer hurt us like this,” he said.
“We didn’t need people with weapons and tasers, bulletproof vests and vests to behave with the behavior that is in this report … and what this report should talk about is that we still don’t need anything of these things, “he said.
READ MORE: “We do not accept your apology”: activist stops Toronto police conference on the use of force based on race
My Teku, executive director of the Black Legal Action Center, said that the police continue to serve and protect black people, “and yet, year after year, all levels of government continue to pour money into the police force.”
“The decision is not to give the police more money for body scanners or training,” Teku said in a statement Wednesday. “This is to release the police and redirect funding to those services that will actually protect and serve and increase the public safety of black people.
Abby Deshman, director of criminal justice at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said police “must step down and make room for support for social services and civilian-led crisis interventions.”
Toronto Mayor’s Office John Torrey said Thursday that he believes in “investing in eliminating systemic racism in the Toronto Police Department” and supported recent reforms, including those that led to the collection and release of race-based data.
“But the mayor was very clear that he believed we could not reduce public safety, given that we hear from communities across the city who actually want additional investment in police resources, especially in initiatives such as the neighborhood police,” they said. his office. in a statement.
“The mayor will continue to strongly support police reforms that will restore confidence. He will continue to consider carefully which tasks could be better performed by non-police organizations and will seek appropriate changes to the budget. And while he will continue to monitor the sound financial management of all resources allocated to the police, he does not support the significant, often arbitrary, reductions advocated by some. “
In 2020, two councilors in Toronto submitted a proposal to reduce the force’s budget by 10 percent – about $ 107 million – and use that money for public services.
The proposal was rejected in favor of a series of reforms proposed by Mayor John Torrey, which include anti-racist measures and the introduction of body-worn cameras.
The move followed a series of protests in which thousands of people flocked to the streets of Toronto for weeks to demand a change in police.
Toronto police released statistics Wednesday showing that black people in the city faced a disproportionate amount of police use and use of force in 2020 and were more likely to point weapons at an employee – whether perceived as armed or unarmed – than white people in the same situation.
According to the report, people in the Middle East have also been overrepresented when it comes to imposing and using force. Meanwhile, Latinos and East and Southeast Asians suffered less law enforcement than their representation in the population, but saw more use of force when interacting with police.
There were also racial differences in the search for nudity, with locals, blacks and whites being searched disproportionately compared to the number of those arrested.
The figures were the first to be published as part of the Race Data Force’s policy, which was adopted in 2019 after the provincial government passed legislation requiring several public sectors to collect such information. He also followed several reports on race and police.
Interim Toronto Police Chief James Ramer apologized to blacks on Wednesday after statistics were released, saying the force needed to do better.
During his press conference, Ramer was asked about calls for the release of the police and whether the forces would consider transferring some services to community groups.
“When we hear this discussion, what … the community is talking about is reform and talking about modernizing the police service,” Ramer said.
“The reality is that we are involved in a number of alternative service processes and we want to be committed to that,” he said, noting what he considered “great progress” in diverting calls coming to the police call center. .
Tori’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.
This Canadian Press report was first published on June 16, 2022.
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