Toronto Police Service Release Community Engagement Report, In the Communities’ Words: The Toronto Police Service’s Race-based Data Collection Strategy

Toronto Police Service Release Community Engagement Report, In the Communities’ Words: The Toronto Police Service’s Race-based Data Collection Strategy

Thursday, October 22, 2020 - 3:12 PM
Equity, Inclusion & Human Rights:  416-808-7100

On Thursday, October 22, 2020, the Toronto Police Service tabled its report In the Communities’ Words: the Toronto Police Service’s Race-based Data Collection Strategy with the Toronto Police Services Board.

This report provides an overview of the community engagement opportunities the Service has undertaken as it implements the collection of race-based and identity data. Over 69 opportunities took place between October 2019 and February 2020, involving almost 900 members from the city’s diverse communities.

"The community came forward with cautious optimism about this strategy and the Service’s overall efforts to address issues of anti-Black racism," said Deputy Chief of Police, Peter Yuen. "We committed to sharing their words back with them, and our plan for implementing their suggestions. We hope they will see their voices reflected in these pages."

The Toronto Police Service began collecting race and identity based data in January 2020, in line with the province’s Anti-Racism Act and the Toronto Police Service’s Board policy entitled: Race-Based Data Collection, Analysis and Public Reporting.

Community engagement efforts have continued with specific outreach to the city’s Indigenous communities and, starting November 2020, a second phase of engagement opportunities will launch as the Service looks to implement the self-identification phase of the strategy.

To read the report, or for more information about the strategy, visit the website at http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/race-based-data/

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Meaghan Gray, Corporate Communications