Friday June 23, 2023
Joint Statement from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Peel Regional Police, and Peel Police Services Board regarding the Human Rights Project
Today, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), Peel Regional Police (PRP) and Peel Police Services Board (PPSB) announced the development of initial recommendations to help address systemic racism and discrimination in Peel Region Police. The work is a result of collaborative and dedicated work between PRP and OHRC beginning in 2020, to develop and implement strategies to identify and address systemic racism in policing.
The recommendations are based on leading practices for dismantling systemic discrimination within institutions, and feedback received from community members during consultations with Peel residents in 2022 and early 2023.
The recommendations have been shared with PRP’s community-led Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ARAC) for input to ensure that they are impactful and will lead to better outcomes for everyone in Peel Region.
After ARAC’s input on the recommendations, community groups and individual members of the public will be invited to share their views to help finalize binding recommendations later this year.
PRP and PPSB have agreed to implement recommendations that respond to the seven principles from the OHRC’s racial profiling policy by:
- Acknowledging racial discrimination in PRP service delivery
- Establishing a process for increased accountability at every level of the organization
- Continue to expand the development of civilian-led mental health crisis response services
- Including a multi-year action plan with timelines to help address systemic racism in policing in Peel
The PRP, PPSB and the OHRC will continue to work towards consensus on recommendations that will create legally binding commitments that PRP will implement to change the landscape of policing in the community.
PRP and PPSB would like to acknowledge the support provided by the Ontario’s Anti-Racism Directorate on this project.
PRP will continue to work with the Ontario Human Rights Commission on additional recommendations.
“Today is an important step forward in the Human Rights Project. The OHRC is encouraged by Peel Regional Police’s commitment to human rights-centered work in dismantling systemic racism. We look forward to reaching legally binding commitments that will be informed by the lived of experience of Peel communities to enhance accountability and address systemic racism in policing services and employment practices.”
– Patricia DeGuire, Chief Commissioner, Ontario Human Rights Commission.
“Peel Regional Police is committed to being the most progressive, innovative, and inclusive service in Canada. We are proud of our collaboration with community partners, the Ontario Human Rights Commission and Peel Police Services Board in bringing forth these recommendations. We will continue to work with our communities and take the actions needed to strengthen public trust and accountability in our service.”
– Nishan Duraiappah, Chief of Police, Peel Regional Police.
“The joint efforts of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, Peel Regional Police, and the Peel Police Services Board have resulted in the development of recommendations that reflect best practices and community input. We are grateful for the valuable contributions from Peel residents and the expertise of Peel Regional Police’s community-led Anti-Racism Advisory Committee. The Board is committed to implementing the proposed recommendations and ensuring a multi-year action plan with timelines that enhance accountability, address systemic racism, and foster trust in our policing services. This is an important step forward in the Human Rights Project, and we remain dedicated to creating lasting change in Peel Region.”
– Sumeeta Kohli, Vice-Chair, Peel Police Services Board; Chair, Governance and Human Rights Committee of the Board
“The Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ARAC) is committed to priority work fostering an equitable and inclusive society for all. Over the last year, we have focused on generating recommendations for the Ontario Human Rights Commission to share with the Peel Regional Police. While Peel Regional Police is making significant strides, we acknowledge that the work to address systemic racism is multifaceted and complex. We look forward to the ongoing collaborative work leading to transformative societal changes.”
– Anti-Racism Advisory Committee at Peel Regional Police
Quick Facts
- In 2020, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC), the Peel Regional Police (PRP) and the Peel Police Services Board (PPSB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing to development and implementation of legally binding remedies to identify and address systemic racism in policing, promote transparency and accountability, and enhance Black, other racialized and Indigenous communities’ trust in policing throughout Peel Region.
- The MOU is known as the Human Rights Project, which committed to the development of recommendations from seven key principles to address and dismantle system inequalities and discrimination, establish accountability and transparency measures, and restore trust and governance across all levels of policing.
- Recommendations shared with ARAC cover a wide range of initiatives including reiteration of support on ending the Student Resource Officer program and enhancing officer training through trauma-informed approaches that emphasize the use of de-escalation strategies.
Learn More
- Video: Human Rights Project Update
- The Ontario Human Rights Commission’s work with Peel Regional Police and Peel Police Services Board | Ontario Human Rights Commission (ohrc.on.ca)
- Human Rights Project – Peel Regional Police (peelpolice.ca)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Ontario Human Rights Commission and Peel Regional Police and Regional Municipality of Peel Police Services Board | Ontario Human Rights Commission (ohrc.on.ca)
- Policy on eliminating racial profiling in law enforcement | Ontario Human Rights Commission (ohrc.on.ca)
Brother Godwin,
It’s very important that we learn how to tell if initiatives are genuine or performative. Evidence indicates this is the latter. When Black Peel region activists called for an anti-Black racism advisory board for the Peel Police Services Board, the Board instead created a Governance and Human Rights committee focused on “diverse, Indigenous and LGBTQ2+” people – with no explicit mention of Black people. The Board’s monthly meetings from Jan-June 2023 saw the Board spending lots of time addressing the “need” for police in schools and high-end car theft – and no time addressing systemic anti-Black racism – when that clearly doesn’t fulfill the Board’s obligations under its MOU with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. And they signed that MOU because, things are bad – and have been for a while. They were bad in 2015 when Peel Police shot Marc Ekamba 11 times in his Mississauga public housing unit. They were bad in September 2016 when two PRP officers handcuffed a 6yr-old Black school girl by her wrists and ankles for almost a half hour. And they were still bad when Peel officers fatally shot 62 year old Ejaz Choudry during a wellness check in June of 2020. And, like the Ottawa police, in response to the recommendations that came from those incidents, they pledged to do better and said they were already doing much of what was recommended. But then, in September 2021, the PRP released its use-of-force data showing they used force over three times more with Black residents in Brampton and Mississauga. Yet they’re spending more time trying to stop SUV thefts than trying to stop PRP officers from roughing up Black people.
The real test will be: can they stop using force disproportionately on Black folks? If not, or if they’re slow to make change, then we know everything else they’re doing is just PR.