Chatham-Kent's police chief says, while provincial orders banning large gatherings are still in place, it was important for a Black Lives Matter march to be held.
There has been frustration expressed on social media that demonstrators were allowed to gather in such a large group on Friday evening, despite the ban on gatherings of more than five people.
Chief Gary Conn told Blackburn News that his officers have taken a pragmatic approach to those rules from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on education and discretion. He added it was important to support the Chatham-Kent community as it struggles to deal with the racial unrest and the deaths of George Floyd and other black people at the hands of police in the United States.
"As much as we [CKPS] are struggling with what has occurred in the United States, so to is our community. Our ability to support the community at this time is key in strengthening our foundation of trust and confidence," Conn said.
Chief Conn said it was also important for people to be heard during this sensitive time.
"We needed to acknowledge and respect the right for individuals to be heard and bring this important issue to the forefront of our community, in a peaceful and respectful manner. Which is what occurred here in Chatham-Kent and in multiple municipalities across Ontario," the chief added.
Chief Conn said CKPS worked in collaboration with the march's organizing committee to ensure public and pedestrian safety.
"We further recognized the dangers associated to participants in this March amid a pandemic, and placed organizers in contact with Public Health to ensure COVID precautions were in place, while further encouraging people to bring their own masks and maintain physical distancing."
Birthday cruises and support cruises for health care workers were eliminated last month because they were considered large gatherings and contravened the emergency health and safety orders mandated by the provincial government. Large gatherings at funerals have also not been allowed since March, preventing many from saying a proper goodbye to loved ones.
Chief Conn said the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis was deeply disturbing.
"What transpired in the United States and from what I viewed, the actions and behaviours exhibited by the officers in question were deeply disturbing, tragic and disheartening," he said. "Incidents like this tarnish and erode public trust and confidence while further reducing police legitimacy. They have no place in our community or the policing profession."
The chief said he realizes that racial barriers still exist in society and they must be torn down, but the great work of the vast majority of his officers shouldn't be diminished by the actions of a few in a different country.
Chief Conn said his training unit has been asked to review policies and procedures around the use of force. He added all of his officers receive discrimination training when they attend the Ontario Police College for their basic training and get refresher training around both ethical and cultural awareness twice a year.
Conn said Chatham-Kent police only investigated three hate crimes in 2018 and two last year out of the more than 70,000 calls for service they receive each year.
"Thankfully, Chatham-Kent has always been a welcoming and inclusive community," the chief said. "That being said, this is still two [hate crimes] too many.
