Members of Toronto’s black community have long said they have been unfairly stopped by police and mistreated.

Members of Toronto’s black community have long said they have been unfairly stopped by police and mistreated.
Photo Credit: Mark Blinch/Reuters/file

Investigation launched into racial profiling by Toronto police

The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC)  is launching a public interest inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination by Toronto police. Members of the black community in Canada’s largest city have long complained about being stopped by police for no apparent reason and being mistreated.

A news release says the commission will look into:

  • Stop and questioning practices
  • Use of force
  • Arrests and charges, and forms and conditions of release for various offence categories, including:
    • simple drug possession
    • obstructing or assaulting a police officer
    • causing a disturbance
    • failing to comply with a bail condition (see Terms of Referencefor complete list).

The Commission will also examine the TPS and TPSB’s culture, training, policies, procedures and accountability mechanisms relating to racial profiling and racial discrimination.

TPS refers to the Toronto Police Service and TPSB is the Toronto Police Services Board.

‘No trust without truth,’ says commissioner

A survey released in July 2017 found that more than half of the respondents who self-identify as black have been stopped by police in public places. The proportion jumps to almost 80 per cent among men between 25 and 44 years old.

“The community has waited for over 40 years to see progress towards eliminating racial profiling, and it can’t afford to wait any longer,” said OHRC Chief Commissioner Renu Mandhane in a news release. “Now is the time to pinpoint the problem areas, and do something about them. Ultimately, there is no trust without truth.”

As defined on its website: “The Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) was established as an arm’s length agency of government in 1961 to prevent discrimination and to promote and advance human rights in Ontario.”

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