Some Black Nova Scotians are skeptical a change in Halifax's police chief will improve relations

Some members of Halifax's African Nova Scotian community say they're skeptical that a change in regional police leadership will make much of a difference in fixing their relationship with the force.

Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella announced his retirement on Wednesday, after taking on the role in 2019.

During the announcement, Kinsella said the force has faced "many challenges" during his four years as chief, while responding to calls for "accountability and progressive change in policing."

One of Kinsella's first major official acts was an apology in November 2019 for the now-banned practice of street checks, which disproportionately affected Black residents. He also pledged to repair the relationship between police and  the community.

But he wasn't successful, according to El Jones, a professor at Mount Saint Vincent University who co-authored a report for Halifax on defining defunding the police.

She said there have continued to be incidents and complaints of racial profiling by Halifax police, and she's not convinced a change in leadership will solve any problems.

"I don't actually think it's a personal problem with Dan Kinsella," Jones told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax.

"I think it illustrates the difficulties that policing as an institution is having at this time.… I think he came in at a very fraught time, and his tenure has really reflected those institutional and systemic problems."

Jones said change will require improved police accountability, a better complaints system and more funding for social and mental health programs — plus the support of officers.

"I don't think police leadership can do too much because the minute they do even something small, there isn't really a will for that change," she said.

"So I think that if we take anything away from this, it's that we can't just think that changing leadership or shuffling the deck chairs around is going to make a difference. There has to be real deep systemic change."

Robert Wright, executive director of the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, said Kinsella stepping down does create an opportunity for change.

But he's not confident the Board of Police Commissioners will choose the right person for the job.

"I think we need a police chief who has that vision, who understands that public safety is really about social investment and it's not about policing," Wright said.

"Our police chief, instead of coming to to the city every year with budgetary requests for more and more policing, would be able to be a part of a larger conversation within the city and within the province about the kinds of services that people in Halifax and in this province need to be healthy and secure, such that the job of policing would be easier."

Selection process

The new chief will take over at a time when the city is examining what role policing will have in community safety, as plans for more civilian-led responses to mental-health incidents and other issues are underway.

The board of police commissioners will manage the recruitment process for a new chief, and eventually make a recommendation to regional council, which will make the final decision.

The process is said to take up to six months, and a new chief is expected to be in place by March 2024.

Becky Kent, the chair of the board of police commissioners, said there will be a much larger reviewing team of community stakeholders for police chief selection, which could include members of the African Nova Scotian community.

Recent policing reports, including from the Mass Casualty Commission, the Wortley report that examined street checks and Halifax's defunding the police report, will also be considered during the selection process.

"We're looking for someone who is adaptable to change and to looking at the full scope of what's happening here," Kent said Monday. "We're not looking for the same old, same old."

Kent said that's why the board is looking to stakeholders who can help address community concerns and pressures.

"We want to make sure, I want to make sure we have a police chief who can accommodate all of that and it potentially is challenging," she said.

"I don't know where they're going to come from but we want to be ready to hit the ground running with full ability to address many of those pieces."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.