As we enter 2023 the Black community in Peel is still sceptical and pessimistic about systematic changes at the Peel Regional Police

BY PAUL JUNOR

It has been over one year now since the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Peel Regional Police (PRP) started the discussion process to deal with the issue of systemic racism in policing. The focus of these discussions has centred on remedies that were initiated by the OHRC and adopted by the PRP to tackle this serious issue.

According to the OHRC’s website:www.ohrc.ca, these remedies aim to end systemic racism and discrimination in: policing, promoting transparency, and enhancing Black, racialized and Indigenous communities’ trust in policing throughout the region of Peel.

In order to facilitate this process the Regional Municipality of Peel Police Services Board (PRPSB), the OHRC and PRP undertook the Human Right Project. On October 14^th, 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding was released which added details to the process.

They signed on to develop and implement legal binding remedies that would ensure it achieved the desired outcomes. These remedies that are proposed are based on the OHRC’s policy that forms the basis of its work on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement. The impetus for the work was catalysed by findings from a 2021 PRP survey, which highlighted that Black residents are disproportionately impacted by negative police interactions.

An important part of the Human Rights Project is community consultations. Four community engagement sessions were held on: March 28^th, April 7^th, 13^th, and 19^th in order to provide individuals who live or work in Peel the opportunities to share their ideas on measures to address systemic racism in Peel policing. They involved participation from: the Chief of PRP, Nishan Duraiappah, officers, and Patricia DeGuire, Chief Commissioner of the OHRC.

On Saturday, November 5^th, 2022, an important community discussion was held in Brampton. The United Achievers Club hosted it. There were approximately 20 people present who discussed a wide range of issues related to policing in Peel and issues and concerns with respect to the Black community.

Dave Bosveld, a community activist, raised concerns that Chief Nishan Duraiappah of the PRP as well as his officers were not present in this discussion. While there has been much hope since the release of the memorandum between the OHRC and the PRP it has not translated into real changes, transparency, and Black representation on the Peel Police Services Board.

As we enter 2023 the Black community in Peel is still sceptical and pessimistic about systematic changes at the PRP. The lack of representation at the Board level is troubling. Concerns have been raised about Sumeeta Kohli, the newest member of the PPSB with close ties to Mississauga’s Mayor, Bonnie Crombie. There are questions about whether the PRP seriously wants to critically engage with Peel’s Black community.

PRP has taken several positive steps such as: collecting race-based, use of force data, and using a human rights-centred framework across all areas of its service, but this is not enough. The Human Rights Project based on the OHRC’s seven key principles is good in theory. There are still mechanisms necessary to ensure that there is accountability in terms of how the human rights-focused training is being implemented.

The move to operationalize the Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) will ensure that mental health resources and services are provided to those in crisis to prevent potential escalation when officers are involved.

Hopefully, in 2023 the PRP will be able to finalize the OHRC’s recommendations to ensure that issues, concerns, and matters that are vital to the Black community are centred in the discussions. There is hope that the diverse, independent Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ARAC) will be able to play a meaningful role on the Human Rights Project and provide practical strategies on how to implement OHRC’s recommendations.