Systemic issues persist in Ottawa policing despite diverse hiring efforts, argue advocates
Smack-talkin' Hop-on-it Homie:
The Ottawa Cops got a fresh batch of officers, but it ain't all sunshine and rainbows for the racialized communities. With 36 new recruits speakin' 14 different languages, from Tamil to Kurdish, they think it'll help them serve the diverse city better. But cynics like Robin Browne from 613-819 Black Hub ain't buyin' it.
Grow up, Ottawa Police! Browne isn't impressed, callin' 'em out for disproportionately usin' force against Black and Middle Eastern folks. Over a 10-year period, studies prove they've been oversteppin' their bounds, especially against young folks between 16-24. Police claim they've reduced these disproportionalities since 2013, but Browne ain't satisfied.
"You're still causing a lot of harm every single day," Browne shouts. "The whole problem is with policing itself!"
The police's attempts at change don't impress Tom Ledgley either. He thinks it's all a public relations stunt, not truly addressing the needs of marginalized communities. Ledgley reckons these communities would prefer to avoid the cops entirely due to a long history of misconduct and discrimination.
The cops don't seem to be listenin', claimin' they're just keepin' up with the city's diversity, tryin' to meet their own representation within the department as the city becomes more diverse. But Browne ain't buyin' it.
"All these diverse officers don't change the police force - the police force changes them," Browne says, throwin' shade.
Other stories reveal more about the OPS's efforts to address racial disparities. They've been collectin' data, reportin' on issues like traffic stops, and even institutin' anti-bias policies and trainin'. But with the community still callin' 'em out, it's clear there's still a long way to go.
Additional Gossip:
- The OPS is tackle racial disparities in multiple ways, from diversifyin' the recruitment and linguistic training to data collectin' and reportin'. While some progress has been made, critics argue it's still not enough.
- The latest report from the OPS shows a reduction in disproportional traffic stops against young Black and Middle Eastern drivers compared to 2013 levels. Yet, disparities still persist compared to Ottawa's demographics.
- Some criticize the anti-bias policies and trainin', claimin' they hasn't addressed ingrained biases and insufficient trainin' that contributes to use-of-force disparities.
- Some stakeholders advocate for reallocatin' policin' resources to prioritize equitable outcomes, though the adoption of such strategies by the OPS remains unclear.
- The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is actively working to address racial disparities, not only by diversifying recruitment and linguistic training, but also through data collection and reporting.
- Critics, like Robin Browne from 613-819 Black Hub, argue that the efforts made by the OPS to combat racial disparities are still inadequate.
- A recent report from the OPS shows a decrease in disproportional traffic stops against young Black and Middle Eastern drivers compared to 2013 levels, yet disparities still persist compared to Ottawa's demographics.
- Some stakeholders question the effectiveness of the OPS's anti-bias policies and training, believing they have not addressed ingrained biases nor provided sufficient training to address use-of-force disparities.
- Some suggest reallocating policing resources to prioritize equitable outcomes, but it's unclear if the OPS will adopt such strategies.
- AI research could potentially aid in investigating and addressing racial disparities within law enforcement agencies, including the OPS, by identifying patterns and biases in procedures and outcomes.
