among all members of society was the funda- among all members of society was the funda- mental principle upon which the Urban Alliance mental principle upon which the Urban Alliance on Race Relations was founded in 1975; and on Race Relations was founded in 1975; and Whereas the Queen Street Patients Council is Whereas the Queen Street Patients Council is an organization comprised entirely of consumer/ an organization comprised entirely of consume survivors which SAVIseeks to advocateNG on behalf LIV of survivorsEES:S: which seeks to advocate on behalf of its members to promote better understanding its members to promote better understanding among all of societyAL asTERN to the self-identifiedAATIVamongESES all of society as to the self-identified needs of consumers/survivors; and needs of consumers/survivors; and Whereas it is recognizedTO thatT theH issueE ofUSE the Whereas it is recognized that the issue of the use of lethal force by police is a subject of use of lethal force by police is a subject of concern to all inOF society andLETHAL that concerns concernFORCE to all in society and that concerns over police use of lethal force have contributed over police use of lethal force have contributed to a strained relationshipBY P betweenOLICE the police to a strained relationship between the police and members of black communities; and and members of black communities; and Whereas this Conference on the Alternatives Whereas this Conference on the Alternatives to the Use of Lethal Force by Police is intended to the Use of Lethal Force by Police is intended as an importantREPORT first step towards OF A CONFERENCEestablishing as an HELD impor tINant TfirstO RO step N towardsTO establishing meaningful dialogue and achieving real solutions meaningful dialogue and achieving real solution in the prevention of unnecessary deaths; in the prevention of unnecessary deaths; It is hereby agreedJUNE amongst 23–24, those 2000 gathered at It is hereby agreed amongst those gathered at this Conference that: this Conference that: We will collectively work in good faith at this We will collectively work in good faith at this URBAN ALLIANCE ON RACE RELAT I O N S Conference to discuss and present our views in Conference to discuss and present our views in respect of the use of lethal force by police, respect of the use of lethal force by police, particularly as it relates to less lethal technology, particularly as it relates to less lethal technolog issues of mental health, issues of race, issues of issues of mental health, issues of race, issues of police accountability, issues of community police accountability, issues of community responsibility andQUEEN potential STREET solutions PA toT Iavoid E N TS COUNCILresponsibility and potential solutions to avoid deaths; deaths; And we will give due respect to each other And we will give due respect to each other during the deliberation of this Conference and during the deliberation of this Conference and with a sincere effort to bring about dialogue with a sincere effort to bring about dialogue and progress on developing alternatives to the and progress on developing alternatives to the © Urban Alliance on Race Relations 2002 Additional copies of this report may be obtained from: Urban Alliance on Race Relations 302 Spadina Avenue, Suite 505 Toronto, Ontario M5T 2E7 tel:416-703-6607 fax: 416-703-4415 e-mail: [email protected] Report coordinators: Judith Bell,Geoffrey Reaume and Ahmad Saidullah Report Design and Layout: Opus House Incorporated, J. Lynn Campbell ii Contents Conference Mission Statement v i A Message from the Conference Organizers v i i Acknowledgements x i 1 THE ROAD TO THE CONFERENCE 1 Introduction 1 The Context 2 The Organizers 3 Significance of the Conference 4 2 THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE CONFERENCE 7 1 Less-than-lethal Technology 7 Less-than-lethal Technology: Some Issues 8 Toronto Police Service Use of Force Report 8 2 Mental Health Issues 1 0 1998: An Alliance between the Urban Alliance and QSPC 11 1999: The Edmund Yu Inquest Jury Recommendations 13 2000: New Mental Health Legislation 14 3 Issues of Race in Police Shootings 1 5 Racism 16 Community Perceptions and Institutional Response 17 Race and Police Use of Force 17 Trying to Make Progress 19 4 Barriers to Change 2 0 Policing Culture 20 Accountability 21 Special Investigations Unit 21 Municipal Police Services Board 22 The Legal System 22 iii Training 23 Community Concerns Remain 24 3 P ROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE 25 I Conference Opening 2 5 Introductory Remarks by Co-Chairs 25 Introductory Speeches 25 Keynote Address: Towards a Nonviolent Community 27 Vincent: A Play 29 Panel Discussion on the Performance of Vincent 30 II Less-than-lethal Technology 3 1 Progress in Less-than-lethal Alternatives 3 1 Knockdowns in the New Millennium 31 What is Stopping Us? 33 Panel Discussion on Less-than-lethal Technology 35 III Mental Health Issues 4 0 The Coroner’s Inquest 40 Discussion on the Chief Coroner’s Presentation 40 Mental Health Legislation 41 Discussion on Gilbert Sharpe’s Presentation 41 Advocacy 42 Panel Discussion on Advocacy 44 IV Evening Presentations 4 8 Defending a Police Shooting: The Case of Amadou Diallo 4 8 Responses to James Fyfe’s Comments on the Diallo Case 4 9 V Issues of Race and Police Shootings — Community Concerns 5 0 1. Community Perceptions of Race as a Factor 50 A. Racialization within the Justice System 5 0 Panel Discussion on Issues of Race and Police Shootings 5 2 B. Studies of Community and the Police 5 4 Panel Discussion on Studies of Community and the Police 5 6 C. Case Studies: The Legacy of the Donaldson and Yu Inquests 5 9 Panel Discussion on the Legacy of the Donaldson and Yu Inquests 6 0 2. What Police are Doing to Address Community Perceptions 6 3 Training 6 3 Equity Hiring 6 4 iv 3. Improving Race Relations: Community Discussion 65 Promoting Trust between Police and the Community 6 5 An Award for Laura Rowe 66 VI Barriers to Change 6 7 1. New Technologies: Are We Doing Enough? 67 2. Police Accountability: The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) 68 Panel Discussion on the SIU 6 9 3. Taking Responsibility — Community Evaluation 71 Panel Discussion on Taking Responsibility — Community Evaluation 7 4 VII Solutions 7 6 Panel Discussion on Solutions 79 VIII Closing Ceremonies 8 2 4 “ C O M M U N I T Y POLICING” DEFINED 86 5 R E C O M M E N DATIONS 89 Appendix A: Committee Memberships 9 9 Appendix B: The Conference Mission Statement and its Signatories 1 0 0 Selected Bibliography 1 0 8 v Conference Mission Statement* Whereas the harmonization of race relations among all members of society was the fundamental principle upon which the Urban Alliance on Race Relations was founded in 1975; and Whereas the Queen Street Patients Council is an organization comprised entirely of consumer/ survivors which seeks to advocate on behalf of its members to promote better understanding among all of society as to the self-identified needs of consumers/survivors; and Whereas it is recognized that the issue of the use of lethal force by police is a subject of concern to all in society and that concerns over police use of lethal force have contributed to a strained relationship between the police and members of black communities; and Whereas this Conference on the Alternatives to the Use of Lethal Force by Police is intended as an important first step towards establishing meaningful dialogue and achieving real solutions in the prevention of unnecessary deaths; It is hereby agreed amongst those gathered at this Conference that: We will collectively work in good faith at this Conference to discuss and present our views in respect of the use of lethal force by police,particularly as it relates to less lethal technology, issues of mental health, issues of race, issues of police accountability, issues of community responsibil- ity and potential solutions to avoid deaths; And we will give due respect to each other during the deliberation of this Conference and with a sincere effort to bring about dialogue and progress on developing alternatives to the use of lethal force by police. * This Mission Statement was drafted for use at the Conference by members of the Conference Steering Committee following consultations with community and police representatives. As part of the opening ceremonies,leaders of the major organizations in attendance (community and police) signed the Mission Statement,symbolizing their pledge to the goals of the Conference. Eventually, all participants signed. Those in attendance recognized that, given the volatile nature of the issues being addressed, it would be a significant achievement if, by the conclusion of the Conference,all the players were still at the table. It was thus with some sense of accomplishment that, two days later, these same police and community leaders once again signed the Mission Statement during the closing ceremonies,symbolizing their commitment to the search for alternatives to the use of lethal force by police. See Appendix B for the complete list of signatories. vi A Message from the Conference Organizers “The time has come for healing and forgiveness. It is hard to forgive. But let us forget about external powers and try internal powers. In the long run, you know who’s going to win — the person with the heart to forgive.” — Myrtle Donaldson, speaking at the Conference dinner, June 23, 2000; her husband, Lester Donaldson, was fatally shot by Toronto Police Constable David Deviney on August 9, 1988. It is a sad reality that conflict and divisiveness are the order of the day when a police shooting occurs.