WRPS report disproportionate use of force against Black people

New data from Waterloo Regional Police (WRPS) shows a disproportionate rate around the use of force against the Black community.

This is the first time race-based data is being included in the semi-annual use of force report, and provide more transparency. While the data collection is welcomed by activists and Black members of the community, it serves more to prove what many of them had already known.

The report, covering a period from January to June this year, has all the recorded incidents of use of force by officers. Regional police were found to have used or threatened the use of force 263 times. Use of force may include drawing or pointing of firearms, stun gun use and physical control.

Included in this year's report is officer's perceived race of the subject. 244 subjects were identified by their race in the report.

• Of those subjects, Black people represented 16 per cent of incidents (40 subjects), but only accounted for 3 per cent of Waterloo Region's total population.
• Of those subjects, white people represented 66 per cent of incidents (161 subjects), but accounted for 79 per cent of Waterloo Region's total population.
• Of those subjects, other races represented 18 per cent of incidents (43 subjects), and accounted for 18 per cent of Waterloo Region's total population.

Ruth Cameron, a Black activist and member of the African, Caribbean and Black Network of Waterloo Region, is not surprised by the data. She is one of the many activists in the region calling for the defunding of police.

“This in of itself is deeply concerning when it comes to the safety of our communities, and it really comes back to us that there is a need to demilitarize our police,” she said. “There is a need for them to have some of their resources reallocated to community-based initiatives that really actually improve our safety because this use of force in and of itself is a good example of how we are less safe because of police.”

Fanis Juma, another Black activist, but with Black Lives Matter Waterloo Region echoes that sentiment.

“This is a confirmation and reflective of our lived experiences in the Waterloo Region,” she said. “In my capacity as a social worker, we do see, and we do hear reports of people being impacted by these kinds of violent experience with Waterloo Region Police Services.”

An earlier report also found that Black members of the community were also three times more likely to be the subject of intelligence notes by officers.

The collection of race-based data is part of a provincial initiative. It also aligns with the WRPS's Equity, Inclusion and Diversity Strategic Plan, but the report notes the tool, in its current form, was not well designed.

As part of its recommendations, future reports will be provided quarterly in 2021. Future data analysis will be assisted by the Strategic Services Branch, with reporting being incorporated into the Race-Based Data Collection Strategy. The report also notes that all WRPS members this year have received (or will receive) Implicit Bias Awareness training and Indigenous Awareness training.

“There is substantial evidence showing that these trainings do nothing to improve the safety of Black and Indigenous communities, and in fact, do not have any substantial change in the ways in which policing is done, ” Cameron said.

Meanwhile, Juma compares it to trying to fix residential schools by giving awareness training to teachers. She says these actions are less about helping the community and more about mitigating and lowering the possibility for litigation.

“Because we are a very small population, these stories for us is overwhelming, cause it is almost nobody you can speak to. I myself have had members of my family and my children—who are very young; under the age of 12—have problematic interactions with police already. So it's very hard to meet a member of our community who has not had been impacted.”

The report found firearm use among officers has gone up, but no shots were fired at anyone. Regional police recorded 20 injuries, including three officers. Minor injuries saw a major jump due to the probes from stun guns now being categorized as a minor injury. No deaths or permanent injuries reported.

The report goes to the Police Board this Wednesday. Board Chair Karen Redman, along with Police Bryan Larkin, are expected to comment on the report's findings.