EDITORIAL
Toronto Police Chief, Julian Fantino, came to hear from the Black community one day last week, and heard he did. He got an earful.
During the at times heated exchange with some 200 members of the community at the Jamaican Canadian Centre last Thursday, Fantino heard the concerns first hand – about the over-policing of Blacks, the shootings by police of young Black men and racism in the police force, among other things.
And he listened.
It has taken him long enough to come hear from us. We had hoped such a meeting would have taken place much sooner. We remember that he met with members of the gay community even before it was publicly announced that he would be the new chief. Nothing’s wrong with that. The gay community has a lot of issues with the policing of their community that the new chief needed to hear about. But why was not the same courtesy and show of respect extended to the Black community?
However this visit, and others he has been making throughout the city to various communities and neighbourhoods, bode well for the future of policing in this city. He has proven that he wants to hear first hand the issues and concerns of the citizens. Now, it is left to be seen what he will do with this information.
The relationship between Blacks and the police has always been strained. And not just here in Toronto. There is a feeling that White cops never seem to accept the genuine citizenship and equality of Blacks. It seems as though we are always under suspicion. And we, in turn, feel uncomfortable with them and suspicious of their attitude towards us.
That is, until we have cause to interact with individual officers in situations where we need assistance or at a social level. Then we find that we do have so much in common.
In fact, front line officers could be some of the nicest people you will encounter on a one on one basis. However, something seems to go off in them when they see a group of Black youths hanging out. Or a large group of Blacks of any age at a party or outside a nightclub, for example. What is that all about? Is it fear? Could you imagine what would have happened if the “raves” being held around the city were filled with Black youths instead of Whites?
No right thinking person in the Black community wants the police to ignore crime in the Black community. What we want is for the police to treat us all in the same manner as they treat others. If Blacks are suspected of committing crimes then by all means do your job. However, when cops seem to go looking for Black youths to harass seemingly hoping to get a negative response from them so they can rough them up or arrest them, then that is wrong. When they stop and search only Black youths and ignore White youths in similar circumstances, that is wrong. Of course, if they find drugs or weapons on these youths they will claim that their actions were justified, and they were just doing good police work. However, if they searched the same number of Whites they might find the same or more reasons to justify those searches.
What we want is fair policing. Not policing based on fear of “the other” or on any preconceived, negative stereotypes. Such policing puts all of us at risk, especially our law-abiding children who might just be out on the town with their friends for a night out. That scares the hell out of us.
Fantino is known as a tough, no-nonsense cop. That is not necessarily a bad thing as long as he is fair. He also has some good people around him. People such as Bill Blair and Bob Kerr, although Kerr has unfortunately announced his retirement from the force. But there are others. And together, they can set an example of both good policing and good community relations in this city – an example for the continent. It will not be an easy job, but it is not an impossible one.
For now, our instincts tell us we must give this new chief a chance. We believe if anyone can make the changes necessary, he can.
At least, we sure do hope so. For all our sakes.
Courtesy of the Share
May 11, 2000