Critics fill Police Week hashtag with unanswered questions
A Twitter hashtag meant to promote policing in Ontario is instead being used to criticize police practices like carding, but police forces are ignoring the questions and social media commentary.
Police services and organizations across the province are marking Ontario Police Week, from May 10 to 16, with barbecues, meet-and-greets and recruitment drives, all promoted with the #PoliceWeekONT hashtag.
Join us today from 11:30am–1:30pm at 474 Elgin St. for our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> launch with a BBQ and live entertainment! <a href="http://t.co/9fPa4TzLJu">pic.twitter.com/9fPa4TzLJu</a>
—@OttawaPoliceOur <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> is about community. Diversity, inclusiveness makes 4 safe, healthy communities <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscoverPolicin">@DiscoverPolicin</a> <a href="http://t.co/BFGGnCmViX">pic.twitter.com/BFGGnCmViX</a>
—@OACPOfficialOfficer to promote policing as a career to H.S. students at Odysée today. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DiscoverPolicing?src=hash">#DiscoverPolicing</a> <a href="http://t.co/GiS2KaUPMQ">pic.twitter.com/GiS2KaUPMQ</a>
—@NorthBayPoliceBut critics of police conduct have been using that hashtag to try to get answers about carding, police violence and racism.
- Mark Saunders talks police carding at African Canadian Summit
- Carding policy passed by Toronto police board, despite lingering concerns
Jared Walker was among the first to use the Police Week hashtag to as a way to raise these topics on Twitter.
Hey y'all, it's police week in ON. Please use hashtag <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> to ask public servants important questions abt police conduct. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOpoli?src=hash">#TOpoli</a>
—@JAWalker.<a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> has NEVER given evidence showing that carding has made communities safer <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TOpoli?src=hash">#TOpoli</a> <a href="http://t.co/8rTiQ6Aa9B">http://t.co/8rTiQ6Aa9B</a>
—@JAWalkerIf carding "increases public safety," why hasn't <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> shown us any evidence? Or even defined "public safety?" <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a>
—@AndrayDomiseWhat is carding? That blurred line between a casual convo & investigative detention. Psychologically, both feel the same. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a>
—@IdilBuraleCarding damages some communities' relationships w police. <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> says it keeps communities safe - which communities? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a>
—@amirightfolks.<a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> still haven't told me what internal measures Const.Andalib-Goortani faced for this <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> 1/2 <a href="http://t.co/p3yslrF8tk">pic.twitter.com/p3yslrF8tk</a>
—@wyndhamyeahMany of the most popular tweets using the #PoliceWeekONT tag, based on replies and retweets, were written by freelance journalist Desmond Cole.
Cole wrote this month's Toronto Life cover article about being stopped by police repeatedly during his lifetime solely because, as he says, "I'm black."
Systemic racism is when <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> tell a black man he "fits the description", but never offer that description. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a>
—@DesmondColeIn 2008, <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoPolice">@TorontoPolice</a> carded more young black men than Toronto's actual population of young black men <a href="https://twitter.com/ksdaniels">@ksdaniels</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a>
—@DesmondColeSo far, no Ontario police service has responded to any of the posts questioning police conduct or criticizing police practices.
I think the worst part about the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> hashtag is it appears NONE of the policing organizations are engaging with people.
—@paisleyraePeople are filling <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PoliceWeekONT?src=hash">#PoliceWeekONT</a> with intelligent and direct questions/commentary, and...nothing. Truly a shame.
—@BeeSince83Ontario Police Week has been marked each May since 1970.