RCMP to make apology to African Nova Scotian community over street checks

CITYnews halifax \ By Mark Hodgins

A committee has been struck and community consultations are planned as the Nova Scotia RCMP promises to make an apology to the African Nova Scotian community for the historical use of the practice of street checks.

The 2019 “Wortley report” which delved into the issue found black people were six times more likely to be stopped by a police officer than white people in Halifax.

Following the release of that report Halifax Regional Police made an official apology later that year, but the RCMP refused to do so.

“I know this apology is long overdue, and I acknowledge a lot of work needs to be done to rebuild the fractured relationship with the community,” said commanding officer Dennis Daley.

The apology itself isn’t expected until 2024. Ahead of it, the RCMP has created a steering committee featuring members of the African Nova Scotian community, and plans to hold public consultations across the province this fall.

“Nova Scotia is steeped in a remarkable Black history that spans many centuries; it’s through this lens that we’ve begun the process of collaboration with senior RCMP leadership to help build a meaningful response to the practice of street checks and the development of an action plan,” says steering committee member Rev. Dr. Lennett Anderson. “We as Community understand the contention surrounding the issue and play a dual role in this work.”

Public consultations are expected to wrap up by November.