Equity Diversity Inclusion Indigenization

Say go, A knee, Boo ju, Wa chay ya, Kway Kway. As Chief of Police, of the City of Kingston, I offer these words in the spirit of gathering. Let us bring our good minds and hearts together as one, to honour and celebrate these traditional lands as a gathering place of the Original Peoples and their Ancestors who were entrusted to care for Mother Earth since time immemorial. It is with deep humility, that we acknowledge and offer our gratitude for their contributions to this community, having respect for all as we share this space now and walk side-by-side into the future.

In July 2021 a new venture was initiated by the Kingston Police in partnership with the Kingston Community Health Centre, or “KCHC” as it’s more commonly called.  

We have had the privilege of working with KCHC several times in the past.  The goal of the specific partnership being launched today is to host a series of community consultations focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenization.  We believe that the topics of EDII and truth and reconciliation are timely, and we are committed to addressing each across the breadth of our organization. 

Recent events have brought increasing awareness to the need to re-examine Canada’s history and the legacy of residential schools.  This is a painful time for Indigenous communities, and the Kingston Police would like to be allies in the healing process.  However, we cannot be allies unless we critically reflect on our past and put a plan in place for our present and future that will be inclusive of the communities that we serve.

These consultations will help the Kingston Police to learn more about Kingston residents through a dialogue focused on building and mending relationships.  In particular, the Kingston Police will engage in critical reflection about our roles within the community itself.  We recognize that we need to learn and grow in this area, and this process begins by taking a look at what we are doing right, as well as opportunities for growth in inclusive hiring practices, developing an inclusive organizational climate, educating our members, and engaging in strategic planning.  We will work with the Kingston Police Services Board to make EDI and Indigenization a priority for our service.

I am personally making a commitment to taking action, in partnership and dialogue with and direction from Indigenous communities.  Our actions will also highlight those policies and practices that continue to harm Indigenous communities and all under-represented communities in Kingston.  We are embarking on a specific partnership with KCHC to support us with this ongoing project. 

Partnership

KCHC is a leader in the Kingston community and is a trusted organization that has worked tirelessly to support equity-seeking groups. We are hoping to learn about the experiences of Kingston residents by tapping into KCHC’s vast community network.  We believe that this partnership will help us learn about the thoughts and concerns of Kingston residents in ways that we may not be able to, if we were to work alone.  To this end, we cannot underscore enough the important role that KCHC will play in leading the consultation process. 

This is not the first time our two agencies have worked together even though this will be our first formal partnership. We have worked with Kingston Immigration Partnership, with Pathways to Education in the Police Athletic League, with the Community Response to Neighbourhood Concerns group, and with the Integrated Care Hub which houses KCHC’s Consumption and Treatment Services program. We are also geographically close, as both of our main offices are in Kingston’s north end. We did consider hiring an external consultant, but quickly realized that KCHC already had established programs and services to support many of the groups of underrepresented communities from which we sought feedback. And while consultants work on a project and then move on, KCHC is already here in our community, and will continue to be here long after this specific project is complete. For all of these reasons, this seemed like a natural fit.

In January 2021, the Kingston Police partnered with Dr. Anita Jack-Davies and relied on her expertise as a cross-cultural expert and founder of Mosaic Cross-Cultural Solutions and the  Badges2Bridges law enforcement program to support us with our strategic planning on EDII.  This past spring, Dr. Jack-Davies led preliminary consultations with members of Kingston’s Black community.  These consultations provided me and my leadership team with invaluable information, which we used as a guiding point in the creation of this new partnership.

In the fall of 2021, KCHC will facilitate culturally responsive community consultations with equity-seeking and underrepresented populations, as well as all Kingston residents.  Through this partnership, the Kingston Police are seeking to create a more inclusive dialogue between our organization and the wider community.  Ultimately, this partnership will inform the creation of the Community Inclusion Council, a new advisory body that will bring together community members and the law enforcement community in the Kingston area.  Plans are under way for the Council to be created in early 2022, and I will provide more information to the community in the upcoming months.

Again, community consultations will be hosted by KCHC starting this fall, and all residents are welcome to attend.  Sessions will focus on EDII-related topics, as well as other topics, such as the use of body cameras by uniformed officers.  These consultations will align with specific goals set out in our 2019–22 Strategic Plan, amongst other initiatives.

Call to Action

As we embark on prioritizing EDI and Indigenization for our organization, I must also make a public commitment to my own growth and to developing my own knowledge.  This is not an easy task.  It can sometimes feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, and daunting; however, as Chief of Police, I will not ask my members to do what I am unwilling to do myself.  I recognize my privilege, and I hope that you will be partners with me during this process.

The Kingston Police will be prioritizing related objectives in the current and future Strategic Plans; however, we cannot do this alone.  We are asking each person gathered here today, and those that are viewing this taping, to spread the word about the upcoming consultations with your networks, via social media, and by visiting our website.  We also urge Kingston residents to attend as many meetings as they can.  Our goal is for all voices to be heard and for residents to have their say.

Feedback from the consultations will support the development of more inclusive EDII policies, procedures, and practices, and this can only be done when we hear from our residents.  Thank you for your support.

In an effort to ensure that the members of our community who are victimized by hate motivated crimes and incidents receive the necessary support and reassurance, and to help mitigate and minimize the above noted concerns, Kingston Police ‘reassurance Protocol/Program” has been formally implemented by the Community Oriented and Engagement Unit:

• The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion officer or designate will ensure that they follow up with the victim / complainant of all Hate Crime and Hate Incidents.
• Follow ups with the victims / complainants will be done in a timely manner. Timely follow ups are imperative in these matters where re-assurance and public / personal safety is part of our service delivery. During the follow up process, Victim Services, and any other relevant social support service, will be offered.
• The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion officer that conducts the follow up will ensure that a supplementary narrative is added to the original occurrence report