Objectives
- Eliminate systemic racism within CPS.
- Recognize and address biases impacting policing interactions with communities of color.
Approach | Strategies
- Engaged with external community through network groups, focus groups, and interviews were conducted.
- Engaged internally with CPS via focus groups and high-level interviews.
- Held a validation event involving over 200 individuals from the public.
- Engaged with individuals disproportionately impacted by the police.
- Formed of a circle of Indigenous Elders and Knowledge Keepers, gaining insights from Treaty 7 and urban Indigenous peoples.
Outcomes | Results
Our work identified that addressing biases and systemic issues within the police force contributes to fair and just treatment for all individuals, regardless of background. Further, we noted that engagement with diverse voices facilitates a comprehensive understanding of community needs, concerns, and experiences, leading to more effective strategies.
Habitus has been instrumental in supporting the work of Anti-Racism at Calgary Police Service by building on previous engagement efforts with the development of an Anti-Racism Engagement Report for the Service and its members. The report is based off of a series of engagement efforts with internal members and the broader community. Its primary purpose is to respond to concerns raised by the community and provide direction to the CPS to address racism and other systemic barriers within the Service and its work in the community.