Community input wanted as independent review of policing at Hamilton Pride begins

Hamilton's police board has named Toronto lawyer Scott Bergman to lead the independent review into police conduct around the violence at Pride — and he wants input from community members over the next two weeks.

"I will be reaching out and meeting with many people from Hamilton 2SLGTBQIA+ communities," Bergman told the police services board at its meeting Thursday.

"And I welcome them to contact me as well."

Bergman said it's important to get input on the terms of reference, which will guide the nature and scope of the review. 

He is encouraging anyone to get in touch, and has set up an email account for people to contact him: info@hamiltonpridereview.ca. People can also call his office number at the Toronto law firm, Cooper, Sandler, Shime and Bergman.

Bergman said he wants the terms of reference to "reflect exactly what the communities in Hamilton wish them to be," he said.

Several people were injured at a Hamilton Pride celebration in Gage Park on June 15.

A group of protesters bearing large anti-LGBTQ signs, and a loudspeaker to broadcast those messages, crashed the event for the second year in a row. A group of counter-protesters, many of them LGBTQ, donned pink masks and used a portable barrier to block the sign-bearers from the festival.

Bergman said he will also be meeting with Hamilton police officers and reviewing police practices and protocols.

Bergman was council for the St. Michael's College School independent culture review committee, following allegations of sexual assault at the private Catholic boy's school.

His office is also involved with the missing persons review following the arrest of serial killer Bruce McArthur, which Bergman said will likely be useful to his work in Hamilton.

Goal 'isn't to place blame'

Hamilton's police service board voted in October to spend up to $500,000 on the independent review into the violent altercation at Pride.

The goal of the review "isn't to place blame" or determine misconduct, Bergman told the board on Thursday.

Instead, the aim is to find out what happened, prevent it from happening again, and promote healing between the community and police, he said.

Review will be finished by April 30

The review will be done by April 30, 2020, he said, with the hope that next year's Pride celebration be a "wonderful event where everyone feels included and respected."

The review is intended to cover all activities before, during and after the June 15 Pride event.

Bergman said the board has assured him the review will be independent and objective.

Deputy Police Chief Frank Bergen said the service will contribute to the review and "completely make ourselves available."

Bergman's office has been involved, he said, in more than 20 commissions of inquiries and/or systemic reviews including "numerous" reviews into police forces and their relationship with underrepresented communities.

Deputation denied from LGTBQ Advisory Committee

Separately at the meeting Thursday, the board denied a request from the LGBTQ Advisory Committee to provide a deputation to the board. The committee wanted to dispute the board's most recent appointment, and to address police officers' actions at an LGTBQ Advisory Committee meeting in June.

Board chair and mayor Fred Eisenberger said these kinds of matters are not handled by the board. 

City councillor Chad Collins asked why the board couldn't hear the committee's issue regarding police conduct, and asked if they could reach out for more information on the complaint. Eisenberger agreed and Collins' motion passed.