Don't defund police, says director of Windsor program for at-risk youth

The executive director of the MH100 youth program in downtown Windsor says he doesn't agree with calls to defund police, and instead wants to see money invested in programs that help Windsor Police build relationships with the city's youth.

"[The police] need to know who the youth are and the youth need to know who the police are because if they don't know each other and that relationship is not there, then that's where problems occur," Mehari Hagos told CBC News.

The MH100 youth program teaches at-risk youth from diverse backgrounds different skills ranging from fitness and nutrition to financial literacy. The program also helps the youth earn athletic and academic scholarships. 

Hagos' comments follow ones made Tuesday by Windsor Police Chief Pam Mizuno, who also said defunding the police isn't feasible. Chief Mizuno said police have become first responders on mental health and homelessness calls and "policing is the only service that operates 365 days a year, seven days a week and 24 hours a day."

Windsor Police Const. Darren Smith volunteers with Hagos' program and said he's seen the program help break down barriers between police and youth. 

"You end up establishing friendships and learning from one another and you realize … we're all good people, here for the good of mankind and we're going to get along together," Smith said. 

He said the program is multifaceted and ensures diversity and cross-cultural education working with children of different ages and races. But most importantly, Smith said, the program opens up the lines of communication between police and youth. 

"It shows that it's not us versus them," he said. "We have a job to do and there's rules and laws in place to govern how people act but it also establishes a communication line where they realize we're people too, just doing our job." 

Hagos said that as a kid growing up in the Glengarry community he recalls seeing police either "beat someone up or arresting somebody whether it was a family member or a friend."

Since he's met Const. Smith, Hagos said he's seen a "whole different side of Windsor Police," one that he wants to show the young kids in the Glengarry community and Windsor's west end so that they know "not all police are bad." 

To do so, Hagos said he's held events and functions with police so kids in the neighbourhood can see police in a setting outside of those negative interactions.  

Youth in Hagos' program told CBC News MH100 has helped them interact better with others in their community and the city's police force. 

"It makes you more aware of how you should be interacting with others," Kevin Rosales said. "Police are meant to help us, we're meant to help each other and be a stronger community." 

Dimo Jing agreed, saying the program goes beyond developing that relationship with police and helps them achieve personal goals. 

"I feel like this is a good opportunity for everybody to do, for goals and achievements that they want to achieve," Jing said. 

The MH100 program receives $160,000 in annual funding from the provincial government per year and is in its third year of operation, but Hagos said more money needs to be invested in programs like his.