Calls increase for Calgary Police to release race-based data
The daughter of a Calgary man shot and killed by police earlier this year is calling for details regarding data the service is collecting about interactions between police and people of colour.
Nyalinglat Latjor called into this month's meeting of the Calgary Police Commission (CPC) from her B.C. home to ask questions about race data.
On Feb. 19 her father, Latjor Tuel, was fatally shot during a confrontation with police.
CPS say officers were called to Forest Lawn for a man in distress, and add he assaulted a police dog moments before the shooting took place.
Since the incident, Tuel's family and friends say he suffered from mental health struggles and have criticized the lethal use of force by police.
His daughter says data about police interactions broken down by race will reveal systemic racism within CPS.
"You can't even begin to change anything without admitting there's a problem first," said Latjor.
She says Calgary should follow Toronto Police Service's lead, which has been required by provincial legislation to collect race-based data for 2020.
The report released earlier this month found 39 per cent of people Toronto police used force against in 2020 were Black.
It also found Black residents were more likely to have a police officer point a firearm at them when they appeared to be unarmed than white people.
Toronto's police chief publicly apologized.
Police Chief Mark Neufeld said CPS is collecting data is being collected as a moral responsibility, and is working with the Canadian Association of the Chiefs of Police and Statistics Canada to collate the data being collected; and requires intense processing before it can be released.
"I look forward to being able to see what comes of that down the line and be able to work with that data and within the community and to improve the broader system," said Chief Neufeld.
When CTV News asked Latjor on Thursday for her response to the chief's comments, she says she wants to see immediate action.
"I felt like that was sticking a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. I felt like that was just empty words," said Latjor.
The chief was also asked about any reports of non-compliance from officers wearing thin blue line patches or badges since they were banned May 31.
Thin blue line patches have recently become associated with white supremacy by critics, while supporters of the symbol say officers wore them to honour fallen service-members.
Neufeld said he hadn't heard any complaints since then, and any modifications to uniforms or police cruisers are not allowed.
As for the race data Latjor is looking for, he says preliminary data will be released later this year. No specifics will be released at this time.
The CPC chair said work is underway and the commitment to anti-racism continues.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team is still investigating the incident.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Statistics Canada reports real GDP up 0.6% in January as Quebec strikes end
Statistics Canada says real gross domestic product grew 0.6 per cent in January, helped by the end of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Ukrainian child asylum seekers in St. John’s get class of their own
Roughly 50 children will gathered in a St. John’s classroom for the first time on Saturday for unique lessons on Ukrainian language, culture and history.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.