Nova Scotia RCMP said it will do better after apology for street checks. Will it be enough?

The Nova Scotia RCMP is implementing its plan to better serve Black people in the province with a major focus on educating police officers.

More than a dozen officers and staff from different police services in Nova Scotia, as well as individuals who work within the justice system, took part in an African Canadian Experience workshop last month — the first since the RCMP's historic apology in September for its use of street checks.

"Hopefully they leave here with a better and a stronger understanding and a willingness to want to assist or be an ally to the African Nova Scotian community," said Shelly Braithwaite, acting manager of the African Canadian Experience Unit in Nova Scotia.

The workshop is a key objective of the Mounties' community-led action plan, according to Assistant Commissioner Dennis Daley, commanding officer of the Nova Scotia RCMP.

At the apology in North Preston, N.S., Daley said his words were meaningless without action by the RCMP, and expressed "a genuine commitment to change."

Workshop 'really opened my eyes'

The workshop was created by a Nova Scotia officer in 2008 and is now being used across the country.

The three-day course covers subjects such as the history of Black people in Nova Scotia, the Canadian education system and the Nova Scotia School for Colored Children, Braithwaite said.

Participants learn the definition of terms like white privilege and unconscious bias and review case studies based on events police in Nova Scotia have experienced, she said.

"We wanted people to come in and be in a safe environment and be able to ask any question that they wanted," Braithwaite said.

The RCMP's plan states there will be three workshops a year with a total of about 60 participants. The workshops are open to members of police departments in Nova Scotia.

"It kind of really opened my eyes," said Insp. Bill Turner, with Cape Breton Regional Police. 

Staff Sgt. Lynden Morrison, acting inspector of the RCMP's Halifax detachment, agreed with Turner. He said the course made him contemplate things he's never had to think about before.

"I thought I was reasonably educated on the matter," he said. But now, he said, he's asking himself if he's done enough to make sure his workplace is inclusive and everyone has the same opportunities.

Morrison said he doesn't believe there are overtly racist police officers in Nova Scotia, but he's now aware of more nuanced microaggressions that can still be very harmful. 

"We have to call each other out on that and say it's not acceptable," he said. 

'If police want to be an ally,' they should play proactive role

The RCMP's community action plan also aims to increase recruitment and retention of Black officers and become more involved in the communities they serve. 

Building relationships with residents and getting out into communities and creating more opportunities for residents to engage with officers and staff are priorities, Daley said.

The action plan states detachment commanders must meet with leaders in African Nova Scotian communities at least twice a year. 

"I have the support of my detachment commanders getting out there, meeting their community members, attending their events, listening to their issues," Daley said in an interview.

Robert Wright, an African Nova Scotian sociologist, suggests the RCMP can establish trust with Black communities by helping address those issues.

Wright, a former executive director of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, said police in North America have historically been responsible for oppressing Black and racialized communities, resulting in an inherent distrust of authorities.

Police can change that by using their vantage point and resources to identify solutions to issues like poverty, housing and systemic racism, he said.  

"I think that if police want to be an ally to the Black community, then we would see policing agencies advocating on behalf of the Black community to address those problems." Wright said.

Leadership is ultimately responsible for change, Wright said, but he doesn't have a lot of confidence in the RCMP after former commissioner Brenda Lucki denied there was systemic racism within the organization. 

But Daley said he's dedicated to making change and will continue to welcome input from people like Wright. 

"I'm very open to those discussions because I do think public safety can be delivered in a different manner," Daley said.