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
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
BREAKING McGill University seeks emergency injunction to remove pro-Palestinian encampment from campus
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Friday that Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.