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 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. . “Street checks data about racialized men concerning to civil liberties advocates.” July 26 2015. Statistics . 2011 Census of Canada. Statistics Canada. 2011 National Household Survey. legalaid.on.ca/rcs . Analysis of Updated Carding Data. July 23, 2014.