2SLGBTQ+ community discusses safety, education with Thunder Bay police

Education and safety were at the forefront during a special town hall-style meeting between members of Thunder Bay's 2SLGBTQ+ community and the city's police service on Thursday night.

Dozens of people attended the event at the Roots to Harvest Community Food Centre. Thunder Bay Police Service Chief Darcy Fleury and Deputy Chief Ryan Hughes answered questions from attendees that spanned a number of topics, including safety, the training of police officers and the creation of a diversity advisory committee that would work with the police service.

"I'm really, really happy with this event," Scotia Kauppi, chair of Thunder Pride, said after the discussion had ended.

"The biggest concern that came up was the lack of education of understanding our community, and also the fear of reporting and not being heard," Kauppi said. "Feeling like it's not taken seriously if it's coming from a member of the lesbian, gay, trans, two-spirit community."

Jason Veltri, president of the Rainbow Collective, said the discussion was "a really powerful night of honesty to the chief and deputy chief.

"It's the start of a journey that we're going to go on, reconciling the work that needs to be done," he said. "We heard about training, we heard about the need for understanding our community, looking to lived experiences within the force to help drive out some of the the the training changes. So tonight was really powerful."

Fleury said the his biggest takeaway from Thursday's event was police have a lot of work to do to ensure the 2SLGBTQ+ community feels safe.

"More meetings like these have to happen," he said. "We're going to track how we're doing to see if we're improving. This is the really good initial conversation and we have some more work to do in that area."

He said another important issue that came up is communication.

"We heard a couple of times tonight about how this community doesn't feel like they're getting the service," Fleury said. "They call in and not get any response, or they're getting a delayed response.

"Another piece is maybe some education in our service as to what they require in their community, some of the things to be aware of, and how we manage people that maybe come in front of us and make sure that we're not doing things that are bothering to them, or making them feel less secure with the police."

Veltri said further events like Thursday's meeting will take place.

"Our organizations are committed to continuing holding space and time for folks to to ask the hard questions and the tough questions, the uncomfortable questions. And this chief has made it a priority to hear and listen, and hopefully put action into work that needs to happen at the force."