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Police Chief confident officers are bias-free when performing street checks

Mar 15, 2018 | 9:14 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Police Chief Andy McGrogan told members of the Medicine Hat Police Commission that street checks are an essential part of policing.

“We are not an occupying state,” McGorgan said. “We are members of the community that are being paid to keep our community safe and part of that’s engaging in the community in a way that makes us feel like we’re part of the community.”

According to police documents, the service describes a street check as a tool used by officers to record information gained through interactions with people.

McGrogan gave a short presentation Thursday night on street checks and explained that they’re not random.

“You’ve got someone that’s walking in an area of high crime at a very strange time of the evening where you don’t see very many pedestrians in that area, and we’ve had some break and enters for instance,” he said, explaining a possible scenario. “Well, we’re going to stop them, we’re going to talk to them, we’re going to gather what information we can.”

He added that the information collected could lead to the beginning of an investigation.

“It’s completely essential if we’re looking at intelligence led policing and creating safety, preventing crime, we have to be out talking to people,” he said.

Some say the act of having an officer ask to see some ID leaves them feeling vulnerable.

“It’s just like asking somebody to remove a piece of their clothing if they’re walking downtown,” said Marlene Cadotte, a counselor with Miywasin Friendship Centre. “Why would you go up to a stranger and ask somebody to remove something of theirs?”

Cadotte said the checks are unfair in relation to a persons human rights.

“I think we should more look at it as, if you’re going to stop me and ask me for ID, what is behind that?” she said. “If you’re looking for somebody, maybe, or if somebody maybe looks like me, something like that.”

Progress Alberta, a lobby group against carding, claims the service is targetting Indigenous people.

Documents show that 653 people went through a street check in 2016.

Of those, 539 were identified as Caucasian, 73 were identified as Aboriginal and 24 were identified as African American.

But McGrogan said the data does show some inconsistencies, including one woman who was checked 13 times, because of the high-risk lifestyle she leads.

“Overall, generally speaking, I think the numbers look fairly consistent with our population,” said chair of the commission, Greg Keen. “But again, to get right down to the nitty gritty of it, we need to see some other figures.”

“I’m confident that our officers are out there policing in a bias free manner,” McGrogan said.

The service has been reviewing its policy on street checks, something McGrogan said has been beneficial.

“This has been a good process and its really made us reflect on what our policies are, what we’re doing for training,” he added.

McGrogan adds that unless a person is under arrest or is being detained, there isn’t a law against saying ‘no’ to a street check.