By Harinder Mahil
Toronto police released a report recently which confirmed what many had believed for years that Black, Indigenous and other racialized people are disproportionately affected by use of force and strip searches by police officers. Toronto’s interim police chief James Ramer apologized and said the force needs to do better. Mr. Ramer said: “As an organization, we have not done enough to ensure that every person in our city receives fair and unbiased policing.… As chief of police and on behalf of the police, I am sorry and I apologize unreservedly.”
The report found that Black, Indigenous and racialized people were over-represented in “enforcement actions” by police. For example, although Black people made up 10 per cent of Toronto’s population, they comprised 22.6 per cent of law enforcement actions such as arrests, tickets and cautions.
Previously, the Ontario human rights commission found that Blacks were nearly 20 times more likely than whites to be shot by Toronto police officers.
The Report’s findings were not a surprise to many in the Black and Indigenous communities as there have been numerous incidents of racism over the years. Every time a Black or Indigenous person alleged discrimination at the hands of Toronto police, it was denied by the force’s senior officers.
The report’s findings were drawn from records of 949 use-of-force incidents and 7,114 strip searches throughout 2020.
The Report was not prepared because of an internal review by the Toronto Police. In 2019, as part of the Ontario government’s Anti-Racism Act, the government directed all police services in Ontario to begin collecting race-based data in instances of reportable use-of-force. It was required by the provincial government.
The biggest issue has been a lack of accountability on the part of Toronto police. Chief Ramer made it very clear in a memo that the Report’s findings would be used to highlight systemic issues, and not officer conduct. This despite the fact that the findings come from officers’ conduct towards people of colour.
If another use-of-force report is issued next year, it may not be any different as there has been no accountability. And the police chief may have to issue another apology.
Black people — and all people of colour — have had to endure racial injustices and systemic racism at the ands of Toronto police for a long time. I hope that the provincial government as well as people of Toronto will hold the police accountable and bring about a change in the police officers’ attitude towards people of colour.
Harinder Mahil is a community activist and President of the West Coast Coalition Against Racism (WCCAR).
