police misconduct series by Darryl Davies
‘DEFUND THE POLICE’ is a call for reform
rior to the emergence of the P COVID-19 pandemic Ottawa Police Services (OPS) Chief Peter
now seeing the results of two decades of the militarization of the police and the move away from ‘guardian police’ Sloly announced plans to hire thirtyto a ‘warrior police’ mentality. The one new police officers. He received preponderance of police brutality cases quick approval for the request from in Canada and the sheer ridiculousness the Ottawa Police Services Board of their response in hundreds of cases (OPSB), despite the OPS currently shows the extent to which the police having over a dozen officers on fully are the wrong people to be sent to paid suspensions for misconduct that is adjudicate matters involving wellness costing taxpayers in the millions checks or mental health. The of dollars in settlements. reason for this is that they virtually . . . 80 per cent of what police officers receive zero training when it In keeping with their reputation comes to responding to calls where do has nothing to do with crime. for tepid oversight, the OPSB people are having a mental health Ironically, most of the calls rubber stamped the request breakdown or a negative reaction without consideration. When the deal with issues police are not trained to drugs. pandemic arrived, the ‘new hire’ or qualified to manage, especially plan was put on hold. In recent weeks we have seen individuals die in horrific cases involving people in a mental Contrary to what Chief Sloly circumstances who certainly health or related crisis. claims, there is no empirical wouldn’t have died had mental evidence or data to show that health experts responded to the hiring more police officers equals less call rather than the police. There have Research evidence indicates that 80 crime and it is one of the greatest been several people killed by police per cent of what police officers do has myths in policing today. Unfortunately, nothing to do with crime. Ironically, when they were called by relatives to this idea is bought lock stock and barrel do a ‘wellness check’ on the individual. most of the calls deal with issues by politicians and politically appointed In Toronto, a mother called the police are not trained or qualified to police service board members who police to check on the wellbeing of manage, especially cases involving often lack any experience for their her daughter. The woman fell to her people in a mental health or related roles. As a result, they tend to let the death from her apartment after the crisis. Less than 20 per cent of police Police chiefs ‘run them’ instead of the police arrived. In May, an Indigenous time deals with matters related to other way around. man in New Brunswick with mental crime and law enforcement. We are PHOTO: FIORA WATTS/SHUTTERSTOCK
In Ottawa, the OPSB ignored the volumes of research and evidence that completely disproves all claims that more police are required in this city. What is required is a better allocation of public funds. Instead of hiring more police, the funds should go to health and social services workers who are better equipped to deal with people in crisis.
19 OTTAWALIFE SUMMER 2020
