Story 10 – Policing Perspectives

by David Korzinski | December 23, 2020 8:00 pm

2020 was a tumultuous year for those in law enforcement and those pushing for reforms to a justice system long-identified as failing to properly serve Black, Indigenous and non-white people in Canada and the United States. In both countries, the #BlackLivesMatter and Defund the Police movements took centre stage in the wake of high-profile killings and abuse of Black[1] and Indigenous people[2]. The death of an unarmed Black man in, George Floyd, spurred international protests, and his name joined those of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in casting light on the challenges faced by minority communities. While the most prominent names of victims have been Americans, Canadians perceive a reckoning of their own at home.

The Angus Reid Institute conducted a comprehensive study of policing in Canada this year, finding nearly two-in-five Canadians saying there is a “serious problem” with the way police interact with Black, Indigenous, and other non-white people across the country, and more than one-quarter (27%) say it is a serious problem in their own community. Further, nearly two-thirds (63%) agreed that systemic racism is a serious problem for the RCMP to address.

The study also identified four unique perspectives with which Canadians view the police in this country. For more, click the links below.

On policing perspectives: www.angusreid.org/policing-perspectives-canada-rcmp/[3]

On racism and police conduct: www.angusreid.org/rcmp-systemic-racism-indigenous/[4]

Endnotes:
  1. Black: https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2020/06/02/Canada-Race-Based-Violence/
  2. Indigenous people: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-indigenous-police-trfn-idUSKBN23W00F
  3. www.angusreid.org/policing-perspectives-canada-rcmp/: http://www.angusreid.org/policing-perspectives-canada-rcmp/
  4. www.angusreid.org/rcmp-systemic-racism-indigenous/: http://www.angusreid.org/rcmp-systemic-racism-indigenous/

Source URL: https://angusreid.org/story-10-policing-perspectives/