Human rights complaint filed by Black officer against Windsor Police Service unresolved after mediation
The city's first Black inspector filed the complaint last year alleging racism and harassment
WARNING: This story contains offensive language.
The human rights complaint filed by Windsor's first Black police inspector against the Windsor Police Service remains unresolved after mediation.
The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario confirmed on Thursday that the parties took part in mediation on June 19, but that it failed to produce a settlement.
"The file is under review with an adjudicator to determine next steps," a spokesperson for the tribunal told CBC.
Ed Armstrong filed the complaint in March of last year, saying Chief Jason Bellaire made comments to him about Black people and bananas, told him he preferred "whiter" things and suggested there is telepathic communication among Black people.
He also alleges in the complaint that Bellaire asked him to use his "Black magic" on a critic at the University of Windsor and referred to her as a "Black radical."
The allegations have not been proven before the tribunal.
CBC reached out to the Windsor Police Service for comment and did not receive a response Thursday afternoon.
Armstrong became Windsor's first Black staff sergeant in 2020 and the first Black inspector in 2021.
He filed the complaint on March 15, 2024, roughly a month after pleading guilty under the Police Services Act for making inappropriate comments to female employees dating back to 2005. He was demoted for one year to staff sergeant.
He said in the HRTO application that prior to that, he hadn't received any complaints against him in his 25-year career.
With files from Jason Viau