RACIALIZATION OF CARDING AND STREET CHECKS
A “STREET CHECK” or “CARDING” is when police officers randomly stop and question someone and collect information about those people. The details about each person — their name, age, perceived skin colour, estimated height and weight, and often, the names of their friends — are recorded and entered into a database.
Between 2008 and 2013, Toronto police filled out at least TORONTO 2.1 million contact cards involving 1.2 MILLION PEOPLE.
Make up of population Carding (2008-2013)
14.3% 8.2% 16.7% 23.6% MIDDLE EASTERN OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN OTHER OR ASIAN OR ASIAN
8.1% 24.1% BLACK BLACK
54.1% 51.1% WHITE WHITE
Between 2011 and 2014, the Ottawa police recorded 23,402 OTTAWA street checks involving 45,802 PEOPLE.
Make up of population Carding (2011-2014)
7% 14% OTHER/ MIDDLE EASTERN <6% UNKNOWN 20% BLACK BLACK <4% 58% MIDDLE EASTERN WHITE
In 2014, London police conducted about 8,400 street checks LONDON (far more than officers in other cities and at a rate triple that of Hamilton and Ottawa). That included recording data of about 14,000 PEOPLE.
Make up of population Carding (2014)
2.5% 1.9% 7.7% 5.6% BLACK ABORIGINAL BLACK ABORIGINAL
Between May 2010 and 2013, the Hamilton police conducted HAMILTON over 18,500 STREET CHECKS.
Make up of population Carding (2010-2013) 15% 20-25% VISIBLE MINORITIES VISIBLE MINORITIES 3% 11-14% BLACK BLACK
SOURCES: CBC. “Hamilton police disproportionately stop and question black people.” July 23, 2015. London Free Press. “Carding stats show racial bias on police force, critics say.” October 14, 2015. Ottawa Citizen. “Street checks data about racialized men concerning to civil liberties advocates.” July 26 2015. Statistics Canada. 2011 Census of Canada. Statistics Canada. 2011 National Household Survey. legalaid.on.ca/rcs Toronto Star. Analysis of Updated Toronto Police Service Carding Data. July 23, 2014.