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Those of us who grew up in certain neighborhoods in Toronto know that unlawful searches, police brutality and aggressive policing tactics are nothing new to the Toronto PD, but recently with the two events linked below getting Media coverage it seems to finally be on everyone's mind.
You have Const. David Cavanagh charged with murder in the shooting death of Eric Osawe in 2010.
With the Trayvon Martin issue happening in Florida, the issue of racial profiling is on everyone's mind. Just wanted to pass along a great series that the Toronto Star published on racial profiling in Toronto.
In some neighborhoods, Black males are almost 10 times more likely to be stopped and documented than whites. On average Blacks are 3.2 times more likely to be stopped than whites even though Blacks make up only 8.5% of the population. Of the City of Toronto's 72 Patrol Zones, in all 72 Blacks are more likely to be documented than Whites, even in predominantly white districts.
Interesting to me in the Patrol Zone I lived as a child, Blacks are more than 8.1% likely to be stopped than Whites.
So people just walking along, doing nothing out of the ordinary, and the police stop and question them as to what they are doing? That's pretty scary.
Yup! Its pretty terrible. In the past the TPD used the line that Blacks are questioned more often because we are living in higher crime neighborhoods, but this map shows that Blacks are more likely to be stopped and questioned even in affluent predominantly white districts. So how do they explain the aggressive questioning then?
Personally within my circle of friends in Toronto, especially those in Lawrence Heights (where I spent the majority of my time as a youth in Toronto) All of us have lost track of how many times we have been approached and questioned by Police officers just because we were innocently walking through our neighborhood and hanging out.
The police don't have the right to stop, detain, arrest, or even request ID from you unless you've done something wrong. People need to assert their rights a bit more in Canada, which I know is generally not really engrained in the culture as much as in the States but if anything is even more important here than there.
Anyone of any race can flat out refuse to provide ID, answer questions, or be subject to unwarranted search and seizure. Remember the key questions to ask: "Have I done something wrong?", "Am I being detained or am I free to go?", and "I don't consent to any searches."
Yup! Its pretty terrible. In the past the TPD used the line that Blacks are questioned more often because we are living in higher crime neighborhoods, but this map shows that Blacks are more likely to be stopped and questioned even in affluent predominantly white districts. So how do they explain the aggressive questioning then?
Personally within my circle of friends in Toronto, especially those in Lawrence Heights (where I spent the majority of my time as a youth in Toronto) All of us have lost track of how many times we have been approached and questioned by Police officers just because we were innocently walking through our neighborhood and hanging out.
You didn't have to comply with police intimidation. I know as a youth you probably didn't know any better - I certainly didn't - but you could have walked away from that in an entirely legal way.
You didn't have to comply with police intimidation. I know as a youth you probably didn't know any better - I certainly didn't - but you could have walked away from that in an entirely legal way.
You are correct, you do not have to consent to anything. I think there has to be a serious push to educate the Black Community of their rights when being approached by Police Officers.
The issue is that you grow up with a fear of the Police because chances are your dealings with them have not always been pleasant. Then as a young person that fear leads you to offer whatever information they request because you do not want to anger them. It sounds extreme, but its a fact.
This also goes back to who we turn to in a situation where we refuse to comply with authorities and things go sour (whether verbal or physical retaliation) We currently have no representation in a position of power willing to tackle this issue. The lone black member of the Toronto City Council (Michael Thompson) actually backed a provision to allow Toronto Police to target and search Black residents based on the colour of their skin in 2005.
From what I understand from my American friends, this is even worse in the US, it's not fair at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by edwardsyzzurphands
Yup! Its pretty terrible. In the past the TPD used the line that Blacks are questioned more often because we are living in higher crime neighborhoods, but this map shows that Blacks are more likely to be stopped and questioned even in affluent predominantly white districts. So how do they explain the aggressive questioning then?
Personally within my circle of friends in Toronto, especially those in Lawrence Heights (where I spent the majority of my time as a youth in Toronto) All of us have lost track of how many times we have been approached and questioned by Police officers just because we were innocently walking through our neighborhood and hanging out.
Obviously this varies city to city. For example you have a city like Milwaukee which was profiled where Blacks are up to 27% more likely to be questioned than Whites. Overall though the statistics are comparable if you base it on numbers Nationwide in the US vs The Toronto statistics.
The reason why your friends in the US believe it is an even greater problem in the US is because there has been an open discussion on racial profiling in the US for decades. We are talking countless studies, speeches given by Black Community organizations in addition to being discussed by Politicians both white and black.
For example I notice you live in Arizona. When Gov. Brewer signed Arizona SB1070 into law there were protests nationwide, even the President weighed in on his thoughts on this terrible piece of legislation. Also where I currently live in Cambridge, MA. Remember when Henry Gates was arrested outside his own home in an affluent neighborhood in Cambridge because he appeared to be "suspicious"? Well Professor Gates was invited to the White House for a discussion with both the President and the arresting officer on the dangers of racial profiling.
Now in Toronto this has been an ongoing problem as documented by the Toronto Star and where is the uproar? Where is the discussion from Mayor Ford, Toronto City Council or Prime Minister Harper? Where are the protests outside City Hall or Toronto Police Headquarters demanding that they take this seriously?
If I am stopped and illegally searched here in Cambridge, MA I can call one of any 2 Black City Council members (we have a 9 member city council) or contact my Black Mayor E. Denise Simmons. Also in Boston of the 13 member city council I can contact 3 Black City Councilors and 1 Latino.
As I mention in a previous post who do we turn to in Toronto? The One Black member of the 45 member City Council is on record as supporting racial profiling. To the credit of City Councilor Pam McConnnell (Ward28) She did introduce a motion when she was serving under Mayor Lastman, but it was shot down because both Mayor Lastman and Police Chief Juliian Fantino said that Racial Profiling does not happen in Toronto and it is not a problem (http://www.thestar.com/opinion/artic...-no-place-here)
So in other words we are on our own and as a result this is swept under the rug and Canadians on other races either due to ignorance or denial claim this is not a problem in Toronto or Canada as a whole.
Uuuuh; may I respectfully enquire what this thread, and it's postings so far, have to do with the title of the thread and it's mention of Police Brutality? Just ask'n.
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