Ottawa police adopts racial profiling policy
Posted August 16, 2011 1:34 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa police has adopted a racial profiling policy, the force says.
The policy was created in consultation with both internal and external groups in response to concerns of the community.
It will act as a guiding principle that “everyone has the right to live and work in an environment that is free of police action based on racial bias or racial profiling,” the force said in a release.
One case that comes to mind was the 2008 arrest and strip search of Stacy Bonds, who is black.
The then 27-year-old woman was arrested for public intoxication on Rideau Street and her strip search was caught on video and outraged the public when it was released. One officer was charged with sexual assault and Bonds’ charge was dropped last year.
“The Ottawa Police Service recognizes the impact of racial profiling and is committed to training its members around this issue,” Ottawa police chief Vern White said in the release. “We are proud to introduce this policy to the community.”
The policy was crafted with the help of David Tanovich, a law professor at the University of Windsor.
