Burnaby RCMP will begin collecting race-based data starting next month as part of a national pilot program designed to improve how police serve Indigenous, Black and other racialized people and communities.
As part of the Race-based Data Collection Initiative, officers will record "perceived information" about an individual's race or Indigenous identity in specific policing interactions, according to a news release from the detachment Thursday.
"The collection of race-based data will be based on a police officer's perception of an individual's race or Indigenous identity, based on appearance and other information known to the officer at the time of the interaction," stated the release.
The pilot will focus on arrests, wellness checks and use of force, with the goal of understanding and addressing any disparities in outcomes, according to the detachment.
After a data-collection period, the RCMP will then analyze and release the information to the public, the news release stated.
Burnaby RCMP will join detachments already taking part in the pilot, including Whitehorse, Yukon; Wood Buffalo (Fort McMurray), Alberta; and Thompson, Manitoba.
The Burnaby detachment was selected based on several factors, including the city's diversity and the engagement of detachment employees during visits by the National RCMP's pilot project team
"This project has been undertaken carefully and thoughtfully following two years of consultation across the country," Chief Supt. Graham de la Gorgendiere, the officer in charge of Burnaby RCMP said in the release. "The Burnaby RCMP is pleased to be contributing to this pilot, as we believe it's an important step in continuing to build trust and more inclusive communities for everyone."
Specific goals for the pilot include
- Identifying differences in policing outcomes for Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities;
- Better understanding the nature, extent, and impact of systemic racial disparities in community safety
- Enabling data-driven decision making and policy development
- Building trust with communities
- Improving community safety outcomes.
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