Defunding police only way to root out systemic racism, advocates tell city council
Retraining police officers won't fix deep-seated problems, presenters say
Shifting resources from police to frontline workers with first-hand knowledge of marginalized communities is the only way to root out systemic racism, experts working in Edmonton's criminal justice system told city council Tuesday.
"I don't think we should be asking systems that oppress to fix themselves," said Toni Sinclair, executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society.
Sinclair presented on day two of a virtual public hearing that will stretch into next week as council hears from about 100 people registered to speak.
More than 70 per cent of Indigenous women in prison are incarcerated for poverty-related reasons, she said. More than 75 per cent are mothers, parenting on their own. They are given longer, harsher sentences and denied bail more often, Sinclair said.
"This means that as these women are arrested by police for poverty-related reasons, their children are sentenced to even further harm," she said. "This all stems from police not exercising discretion."
I don't think we should be asking systems that oppress to fix themselves.- Toni Sinclair
On Tuesday, all but one person spoke in favour of defunding the police service. The speakers called for money to be redirected from policing to programs that support frontline workers who have relationships with and cultural understanding of people in marginalized communities.
"Without lived experience it's very hard to have that," said youth worker Dusty LeGrande.
As the coordinator for the program that links youth-serving agencies with peace officers and police, LeGrande said he has accompanied officers on ride-alongs where he saw first-hand a lack of knowledge about the experiences of Indigenous people.
"I've heard the conversations, I've sat beside quote unquote the good ones and understood that there is just a massive hole and ignorance," LeGrande said.
"When we talk about these issues, people of colour need a seat at the table, they need to be represented. We need to be able to look at our city leadership and see ourselves. We need to feel safe to bring those kinds of things forward."
Presenters outlined how government — and the police agencies that enforce the laws — are built on white supremacy and the oppression and exploitation of Indigenous and Black people, many of whom live with trauma, distrust and vast overrepresentation in the criminal justice and child apprehension systems.
'Crushing whiteness'
Sylvie Vigneux described what she called the "crushing whiteness" at the Edmonton courthouse, from judges to lawyers to security personnel, and the systemic racism of policing the transit service, criminalizing loitering and supporting police practices such as carding, while cutting educational and mental health services.
She said there are many ways the justice system allows police to exercise significant discretion, where there is opportunity for discrimination and racism.
"Who do we think is most affected by this?" she asked.
"We assault and kill Black and Indigenous people on the streets and in their homes and then wring our hands when these communities rise up in protest."
Researcher Vienna Doell said education requirements for transit and police officers should increase from Grade 12 to bachelor or diploma degrees in areas such as social work or Indigenous studies.
She said evaluations of candidates must include ways to root out prejudice or racist attitudes.
Indigenous people get 57 per cent of the tickets handed out by transit peace officers, she said, citing figures from Mobilize Waskawewin — LeGrande's company — as well as Student Legal Services.
"Why aren't we holding our candidates to a higher standard of education prior to becoming an officer and holding a gun?" Doell asked.
Joseph Gebran owns a business just north of downtown and sits on the board of a business improvement area.
"I would ask that through these deliberations we remember that there is a fair amount of crime and difficult people who frequent areas in our city," Gebran said. "And the only agency that will respond to support business people, to support citizens using those businesses, is the Edmonton police."