Investigator reviewing Pride violence wants to look at Hamilton police culture
The police board will vote on a terms of reference Thursday
A Hamilton advocate for LGBTQ rights says she's feeling cautious optimism about new draft terms of reference that will be used to investigate police conduct at a June Pride festival.
Violetta Nikolskaya, who vice chairs the city's LGBTQ advisory committee, says lawyer Scott Bergman seems to have listened to the community when he drafted rules he'll follow during the independent investigation. The terms will look at, for example, whether the culture of Hamilton Police Service (HPS) impacted how officers reacted that day.
"I'm hoping very much these terms of reference are followed," Nikolskaya said.
"Because if they are, it appears there will be an examination of the culture within the Hamilton Police Service, as well as the communication that took place between Hamilton Pride organizers and the police leading up to the event."
The terms are an important piece for those seeking resolution after violence at a June 15 Pride festival at Gage Park.
At that festival, protesters bearing religious signs gathered and shouted homophobic phrases through a loudspeaker. A group of anarchists wore pink masks and used a portable black barrier to shield the protesters from view.
Violence broke out, and several people were injured.
Pride Hamilton organizers say despite consulting with police ahead of the event – including pointing out where the protesters would likely be located – police were too slow to react. Chief Eric Girt has said police would have deployed differently had they been invited to the event and not told to remain on the periphery.
Hamilton Police Service (HPS) has received three service complaints, which Girt handles. The Office of the Independent Police Review Director is also investigating a citizen complaint.
The police board also voted to hire an independent reviewer, which is Bergman from the Toronto firm Cooper, Sandler, Shime and Bergman LLP. The review will cost a maximum of $600,000.
The terms of reference say HPS needs to "take meaningful steps to gain or regain the trust" of the public and the LGBTQ community. The review, the terms say, will also look at whether the culture of HPS got the in way of officers responding in a "timely, effective and bias-free way."
Nikolskaya says the reviewer consulted the community on the terms of reference, and it shows.
"I'm going to remain cautious, optimistic and skeptical what the product will be," she said. "I'm hoping very much these terms of reference are followed."
Cameron Kroetsch chairs the LGBTQ advisory committee and was involved in Pride Hamilton. The terms are "OK," he said. He likes that they reference looking at the culture of the service.
There's a lot of history between police and the LGBTQ community, he said, "I think that's what's opened up here that allows the reviewer to look at that."
The board will vote on the terms of reference Thursday.
Here are some highlights:
- The firm will report back to the board and public no later than April 30, 2020.
- The terms say it's important that "every appropriate measure be taken to prevent such hatred and violence from ever taking place" against the LGBTQ community again.
- Whether police investigated their own conduct after the event.
- Whether "existing practices, procedures, the leadership or culture" within the HPS contributed to the violence, and distrust between police and the LGBTQ community.
- What changes need to be made, if any, to existing polices, procedures, leadership and culture to prevent a repeat of the Pride incident.
- What training or education, if any, is necessary to have "bias-free policing."
- The board chair, which is Mayor Fred Eisenberger, and the service will "cooperate fully" with the review.
- The reviewer may hold meetings, interviews or consultations.
The meeting is at 1 p.m.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
