City council to vote on the proposed Hamilton Police Services Budget that raised concerns for several council members
Hamilton Police Services board is suggesting a $12 million addition in budget this year. The city council will meet in a public delegation on Monday, Feb. 6 with hopes to set the HPS operating budget for 2023.
Police Chief Frank Bergen says the increase in budget is to account for a growing population and an increasing crime severity in Hamilton. Without an increase in budget to hire new officers, Bergen says the current officer to civilian ratio cannot be maintained.
Police Chief Frank Bergen says the increase in budget is to account for a growing population and an increasing crime severity in Hamilton. Without an increase in budget to hire new officers, Bergen says the current officer to civilian ratio cannot be maintained.
Bergen also claimed that this budget would be 18.5 per cent of Hamilton’s overall spending, the same percentage as in 2022. He also pointed out that seemingly small operation costs add up and specifically mentioned the $134 904 spent by the HPS to enforce the nuisance bylaw during McMaster’s Fake Homecoming.
Although this budget was approved by the Police Services Board, Ward 2 city councillor Cameron Kroetsch has questioned the 6.71 per cent increase due to what he called a lack of prioritizing the voices of Hamiltonians in regard to policing over the past few years.
Although this budget was approved by the Police Services Board, Ward 2 city councillor Cameron Kroetsch has questioned the 6.71 per cent increase due to what he called a lack of prioritizing the voices of Hamiltonians in regard to policing over the past few years.
During the 2020 Hamilton Black Lives Matter protests there were calls for cuts up to 20 per cent of the HPS budget that were met with little consequence; the HPS budget has only increased from the $170,815,160 in 2020. Calls for introducing new operating policies such body cams have also not been met. A rally has been organized for Monday night at 5:30 p.m. to protest the $12 million increase in budget.
Kroetsch asked if community needs, such as experts replacing police officers on scenes for mental health emergencies, were going to be included in this additional $12 million. Bergen responded with the concern that creating a mental health initiative such as this, while beneficial for the community, would not come cheap.
Other council members have expressed concerns with the HPS proposed budget. For example, Ward 4 city councillor Tammy Hwang challenged Bergen about the diversity of hires in the newly proposed 13 officers that would be hired annually over the next 8 years.
If the city council chooses to reject this budget the police services board has the option to propose a new version or to appeal using the Ontario Civilian Police Commission. According to OCPC, the HPS has not filed for an appeal in over 20 years.
This is an ongoing story.
After a fire in Bates Residence, a McMaster student was charged with arson-disregard for human life
On Jan. 28 at around 2:00 p.m., a small fire broke out at McMaster University's Bates Residence in a third-floor apartment.
The fire was contained to one suite, but the entire building was evacuated as a precaution. No injuries have been reported, and the building was able to safely reopen only a few hours later.
The fire was contained to one suite, but the entire building was evacuated as a precaution. No injuries have been reported, and the building was able to safely reopen only a few hours later.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
“On scene, police and partners located the unit on fire, which was extinguished, and no injuries were suffered,” said Hamilton Police Services, in a media release, issued on Jan. 29.
While the fire was contained within the four-bedroom suite in which it started, three nearby rooms also suffered smoke and water damage, forcing their occupants to temporarily relocate. A total of eight students were impacted by the fire.
While the fire was contained within the four-bedroom suite in which it started, three nearby rooms also suffered smoke and water damage, forcing their occupants to temporarily relocate. A total of eight students were impacted by the fire.
Amarah Hasham-Steele, News Editor
HPS stated in their release that 20-year-old Ruomu Ba had been charged with arson — disregard for human life.
The HPS release also asked members of the public to contact Detective Sergeant Lockley by calling 905-546-3833, if they have any information about the case.
McMaster University released two statements about the fire on Daily News. The first, released on Jan. 28, informed students of the fire and that it had been safely extinguished. The second, released on Jan. 29, informed students that charged had been laid.
The Ward 1 Councillor candidates sat down for a debate in The Silhouette office and here's what they had to say.
The Silhouette hosted a live-streamed debate between the Ward 1 councillor candidates running in the 2022 Hamilton municipal election. Ward 1 councillor candidates include Ian MacPherson, John Vail and current Ward 1 councillor Maureen Wilson. All three candidates attended the debate. The debate was guided by Silhouette Editor in Chief Nisha Gill and the main topics addressed included the most significant issues faced by Ward 1, the current housing and affordability crisis and detasking the Hamilton police force.
Following opening statements, candidates were asked to discuss what they perceived to be the biggest issue Ward 1 is currently facing and how they would plan to address it in office.
Vail deemed public safety and police protection as the most pressing concern and highlighted the need for more security outside of the McMaster University campus. Wilson discussed council decorum and established that fostering trust, confidence and transparency is of great concern. Lastly, Macpherson discussed street safety and proposed a greater need for law enforcement on the roads.
Vail deemed public safety and police protection as the most pressing concern and highlighted the need for more security outside of the McMaster campus. Wilson discussed council decorum and established that fostering trust, confidence and transparency is of great concern. Lastly, Macpherson discussed street safety and proposed a greater need for law enforcement on the roads.
In rebuttal, Vail accused Wilson of not remaining transparent during Sewergate. However, Wilson explained that this decision was handled by a previous council, and, once elected, Wilson played a significant role in convincing her council to release the information to the public.
Candidates were asked to discuss the housing and affordability crisis and how it pertains to citizens and McMaster students living in Hamilton.
Wilson discussed her involvement in combatting the affordability crisis during her time as councillor and highlighted its significant impact on students and middle- and low-income families. Wilson then concluded by explaining how McMaster has not been doing its part in developing safe and affordable housing for students.
MacPherson discussed the Hamilton Alliance for Tiny Shelters and explained how he feels that the Rental Housing Licensing pilot program is not the correct solution for this issue.
Lastly, Vail maintained that the affordability crisis has been a persistent issue over the course of many councils and cannot be solved in Ward 1 alone. Due to this, Vail suggests that McMaster students should commute to campus instead of renting student houses.
Issues with the Hamilton police force were first addressed by MacPherson after a conversation on the importance of student involvement in the election. MacPherson referred to the Hamilton police force as a hot topic, and expressed that money should not be reallocated away from the police department. During the free debate period, MacPherson asked Wilson to share own her stance on this topic.
Wilson discussed how police are currently tasked with noncore functions, such as dealing with mental health cases. For this reason, Wilson supports the modernization, realignment and detasking of police services. When Vail asked Wilson to differentiate between defunding and detasking the police force, Wilson maintained that what matters most is to steer front line officers away from being tasked with mental health and wellness jobs.
All three candidates discussed the importance of McMaster students getting involved in the election and casting their vote. Election Day is Oct. 24 and more details on how to vote can be found here.
The live-streamed debate was recorded and available on the Silhouette website.
C/O Hamilton Police Service
Lock your doors!
Hamilton Police Service are investigating a string of break & enters that took place in the Westdale area in February. Police believe that student houses are being targeted.
On Feb. 8, a student posted a warning to Reddit’s r/Mcmaster regarding a recent break-in near Broadway Ave., between Sussex and Main West.
According to a HPS press release, the suspect entered the house and fled the area after being discovered by the resident. The suspect is described as male, medium build, black hooded jacket, black shoes and carrying a backpack.
The video can be seen on the HPS website.
The release comes amid reports of a series of 5 recent break-ins during early February.
The Silhouette contacted HPS for comment related to the Feb. 8 incident. As of Feb. 11, it is not clear to police whether the five incidents are related and the suspect is not known to police.
The police released a graphic that provides advice for students living in the area.
In an email, Staff Sergeant Catherine Lockley reminded students to lock their doors and windows and to secure sliding doors with a rod or a pole. Lockley also encouraged students to call police to report suspected break & enter activity even if it does not appear that entry was gained, or anything is missing.
Police urge students to contact police to report a crime in progress or a recent event by calling 911. Students with information should contact Detective Ross Johnson at 905-546-3818.
On June 2, Black Lives Matter — Toronto posted a livestream series on Twitter of students protesting the “violence that Black and racialized Indigenous students face” on McMaster University’s campus.
“McMaster also silences students when we protest, we get ignored and we get ticketed for speaking against basic injustices that happen here on campus,” a student on the livestream stated.
At the end of the livestream, they call for McMaster to remove the presence of special constables from campus and to cut ties with Hamilton Police Services and to immediately terminate Glenn De Caire’s contract — the former Police Chief for the Hamilton Police Services who has been employed as the Director of Security and Parking Services at McMaster since 2016.
Background:
Much debate and controversy over De Caire’s tenure as police chief came to light while in the role. In 2010, De Caire introduced the Addressing Crime Trends In Our Neighbourhood team, five high-profile groups of officers tasked with lowering crime in the downtown-core. These officers were the only ones who conducted “street checks,” a practice also known as carding.
However, in June 2015, seven members of the ACTION team were arrested, with five members being charged after it was alleged they falsified tickets. The provincial government cut ACTION’s funding in half and sparked the government to enact regulations to stop carding within all police services across Ontario.
In response, De Caire sent a letter to the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services outlining his worries that Hamilton could be at risk if carding practices ceased, citing “officer discretion” as being paramount to “stop, investigate, identify and record information of individuals in the appropriate circumstances.”
“Information must be gathered before it can be analyzed and interpreted . . . [t]he result of reduced officer-community engagement can lead to increase, crime, violence, injury and death” stated De Caire.
In a response to De Caire’s letter, Ruth Goba, Interim Chief Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission classified the police chief’’s position on carding and street checks as a “textbook description of racial profiling”.
“Racial profiling in street checks has a corrosive effect on Black and other racialized communities. As the OHRC has said repeatedly — it must be stopped,” stated Goba.
Around the same time, De Caire forwarded an email to all police members that included an anonymous note commending the HPS for their work on a case involving a Black teenager being killed downtown.
“I also wanted to say that I believe it is time for these Black kids to stop blaming the police for the problems and take responsibility for the actions of the youth,” read the anonymous note.
Included on the bottom, De Caire hand wrote: “All of our officers that responded to the recent homicide did a great job. Keep up the good work.”
In an interview with the Hamilton Spectator, then-city councilor Matthew Green, Hamilton’s first Black councilor, expressed his concern over the email. “Does the Chief not understand how that . . . might create a culture of us-versus-them when it comes to community relationships?” said Green.
City Councilor Terry Whitehead, a member of the police services board, also shared his concerns with the Spec. “When you look at that line it looks like an endorsement that the Black community is blaming the police for all their issues . . . I think that’s a dangerous ground to walk on,” said Whitehead.
In late 2015, De Caire was initially set to continue his role as police chief when the Hamilton Police Services board unanimously voted to extend his contract by an additional two years. A month later, De Caire announced that he would be retiring from his position, a move that puzzled the board as well as the mayor.
“McMaster has offered me an opportunity to contribute to their organization over a long term, and my opportunity here with the Hamilton Police Service has been limited by the contract term,” said De Caire during a press conference.
Calling for accountability:
The June 2 protest at McMaster parallels the worldwide public outcry following the deaths of several Black people at the hands of police officers, notably the murder of George Floyd, who died after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes. Floyd’s death is one of several publicized deaths of Black people in the United States (including Breonna Taylor, Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells and Riah Milton) that sparked protests in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement internationally. In Canada, the deaths of Regis Korchinski-Paquet and D’Andre Campbell, among others, have also led to public demands for justice and accountability from police departments.
As a result, there have been many protests and riots against police brutality against Black people internationally. On a local level, students have been calling McMaster to address the racism that occurs at the university, as shown by tweets and comments by Mac students and alumni.
Oh cause I thought a school that hired a racist ex police chief as head of security said something https://t.co/LwEHixziXo
— 🌻 (@ItsIeshaa) June 1, 2020
https://twitter.com/dah0nggou/status/1268285560835264522?s=20
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBWXVN6jN9y/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
One group that has been advocating for De Caire’s removal is De Caire Off Campus. The group was established by Black women studying at McMaster when De Caire was hired in 2016 and exists to advocate for the removal of police on campus. Although the surge of support has benefited this group, they want to ensure that this movement against police is sustainable.
“This isn't a temporary outrage. It has been present for decades and will continue to exist as long as police are on our campus,” said De Caire Off Campus in an interview with the Silhouette.
Among demands for De Caire to be removed by McMaster, the McMaster Students Union has also taken heat.
“The MSU can and should keep to their abandoned commitments — that is, to do the work necessary to remove De Caire and special constables from campus,” the group said.
In March 2016, the Student Representative Assembly passed a motion to call on the university to remove Glenn De Caire as the director of security and parking services and a call to end the university’s campaign of increasing police presence on campus. However, the execution of the SRA’s call to remove De Caire and special constables off campus remains to be seen.
On behalf of the board of directors, MSU president Giancarlo Da-Ré assured that the concerns regarding De Caire have been heard “strong and clear.”
On June 14, Da-Ré moved a motion to call on faculty offices to permanently terminate all ties to the Hamilton Police Services, Halton Police Services, and any other police service. This includes internships and training or co-op placements that involve police services. In addition, an amendment was made to the motion where the MSU will consult any relevant groups or stakeholders that hire private security firms in replacement of campus constables.
Both the motion and the amendment were passed during the meeting. This motion will be binding for the 2020/2021 SRA term.
Da-Ré also mentioned that the vice president (administrative) team is developing “Equitable Hiring Best Practices & Guidelines” in order to address the underrepresentation of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour within the MSU.
“These practices will include changes to application processes, hiring committees and promotional strategies, and be created upon consultation with [the Equity & Inclusion Office], [President’s Advisory Committee on Building an Inclusive Community], the [Student Success Centre]’s Diversity Employment Coordinator and various other stakeholders,” Da-Ré explained.
The Silhouette asked McMaster University about the growing concerns students had and while providing a statement, did not directly address the concerns about De Caire.
“Equity, diversity and inclusion are critical to the university. McMaster denounces anti-Black racism and violence and supports the ideals expressed by the Black Lives Matter movement,” said Wade Hemsworth, the Manager of Media Relations for McMaster University.
Hemsworth outlined ways in which McMaster was addressing anti-Black racism and violence, such as a PACBIC and the EIO hosting a virtual check-in and conversation for Black students on June 11, the EIO hosting a virtual discussion called Let’s Talk About Race for BIPoC students, staff and faculty on June 18 and several statements made by McMaster.
What’s next:
Moving forward, De Caire Off Campus demands that McMaster “completely severs ties with Hamilton Police Services.”
“The removal of special constables cannot be followed with the hiring of private security or the enshrinement of surveillance against students,” the group said.
In addition, they demand that the budgets for special constables and security be released for transparency, to remove the university’s freedom of expression guidelines and that the MSU ensures that clubs are not forced to collaborate with security services.
As the 2020 fall term approaches, McMaster students continue to call for change on campus, holding the university and MSU accountable for their past actions and their next steps.
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By Trisha Gregorio, Contributor
On June 15, 2019, the annual Hamilton Pride event was disrupted by groups of homophobic and white supremacist protesters, resulting in a violent confrontation between them and some of the Pride attendees. The police had not been invited to the event due to the fraught history between them and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and complaints that the Hamilton Police Services took too long to respond to the Pride altercation soon followed.
Nearly a year later, Scott Bergman — a lawyer with the Toronto firm Cooper, Sandler, Shime and Bergman — has published an independent review into the Pride 2019 incident. The firm was hired by the Hamilton Police Services last fall after the police services board voted unanimously for an examination of police conduct in the Pride 2019 event.
Bergman’s 125-page review looks at whether the HPS was slow to respond to the violence at Pride or whether they deliberately did not get involved as the violence continued. It brings into question the HPS’ actions during the Pride celebration, citing the police’s lack of preparation as the foundation for their failure to adequately respond to the public’s safety needs.
“[The] activities could reasonably have been anticipated by the police, but they weren’t. As a result, the police response was inadequate — before, during and after the event,” wrote Bergman.
“[The] activities could reasonably have been anticipated by the police, but they weren’t. As a result, the police response was inadequate — before, during and after the event,” wrote Bergman.
According to the review, the four police officers assigned to Pride 2019 did not consult with the organizers regarding the event. Furthermore, they did not have an operational plan until two days before the event, only for that plan to be found lacking details and failing to take into account the potential presence of agitators or any legal mechanisms that might be relevant.
These findings are in contrast to a similar report conducted by an HPS staff sergeant and submitted to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director. According to CBC, the OIPRD report claims that the police had a proper operational plan in place and that they did not stand to watch the violence unfurl without intervening.
"This investigation has discovered that the policies and procedures were followed in this instance and that there were no identified issues," read the 110-page report, which was signed by Det. Sgt. Gary Heron.
https://www.facebook.com/pridehamilton/posts/2627397237514278
In Bergman’s report, on the other hand, he highlights comments made by Police Chief Eric Girt four days after the Pride incident, which he believes demonstrated a lack of understanding of what 2SLGBTQIA+ Hamiltonians were feeling in response to the violence at the Pride 2019 event.
“We were not invited to the event. We were asked not to be at the event and we remained on the perimeter. We have to respect the requests, too. It’s kind of a no-win situation where you’re asked not to be there, and then when you’re not there, how come you weren’t there?” Girt had said in a local radio show.
Bergman’s review emphasizes the damage that has been done to the relationship between the HPS and the Hamilton 2SLGBTQIA+ community. He is now calling for several key actions to help repair this damaged relationship; among many others, this includes an apology from the HPS, more detailed operational plans for the annual Pride events to come and careful consideration of a potential diversity audit. He also calls for better communication between the police and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, which would entail experiential training and public acknowledgement of the HPS’ intent to build mutual trust.
At the same time, some members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community feel this is not enough.
“[Y]ou didn’t need to spend [$600,000] to find out the things the community was saying. You didn’t need two lawyers outside the Hamilton community and outside of two-spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities to come into Hamilton and then write down everything that community said. The community already said that everywhere” said Cameron Kroetsch, a Pride Hamilton board member. “This the process for this very austere board as part of a very broken police system to try and understand what happened at an event they didn’t attend.”
From page 69 of the report, "This sentiment was magnified by the fact that the first three people arrested in connection with the Gage Park events were Pride Defenders. 1/3 #HamOnt pic.twitter.com/jnbx9n3deC
— Pride Hamilton (@HamiltonPride) June 18, 2020
Youth programs such as speqtrum Hamilton have also expressed their dissatisfaction that they will not be able to afford an 2SLGBTQIA+ liaison officer — one of the recommendations to the HPS presented by Bergman’s report.
On June 11, the organization tweeted, “The cost of a [full-time] LGBTQ+ liaison officer is more than our current operating budget. We receive no funding from the City of Hamilton . . . Apologies feel so hollow when you are still struggling with broken bootstraps.”
Bergman nevertheless remains optimistic that the HPS can still repair their relationship with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Hamilton. He believes that his discussions with the HPS during the independent review indicate their desire to work towards more trust, cooperation and transparency.
In his report’s conclusion, Bergman writes, “Much can be done by the HPS that will help foster a stronger relationship with the Two-Spirit and LGBTQIA+ communities in Hamilton … It requires a concerted effort on the part of all parties, but as a public institution, the onus rests first and foremost with the HPS.”
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Note: This article has been edited to clarify that Marc Lemire has been working for the city of Hamilton since 2005.
cw: homophobia, physical violence, white supremacy, religious extremism
The annual Hamilton Pride event held on June 24, 2006 was interrupted midway by a group of homophobic soccer fans. The soccer fans allegedly swore and spat on those marching in the parade, but the Hamilton police were quick to respond, forming a barrier between the fans and the parade participants.
At the time, Lyla Miklos, a Hamilton-based activist, creative and journalist, was a board member of the Hamilton Pride committee. She was also one of many who marched in the pride parade—an experience she detailed thirteen years later in a deputation to the Hamilton police services board on July 18, 2019.
The deputation came a month after a hate group violently interrupted the 2019 Hamilton Pride event. A video from the scene shows a snippet of the commotion, which occurred in the middle of Gage Park and away from Pride festivities.
Anti-pride demonstrators gathered at the event, shouting homophobic and white nationalist rhetoric. The video appears to show a religious group holding signs with phrases from the Bible and accusing Pride participants of perpetuating “sin”.
Hamilton Pride 2019 event at Gage Park being disrupted. Photo C/O CBC News
Another group is shown attempting to protect Pride-goers from the anti-pride demonstrators, trying to erect a black curtain to cover the anti-pride group and their signs.
Eventually, the confrontations escalated to punching, grabbing and choking, with one of the disruptors hitting pride-goers in the face with a motorcycle helmet.
In the aftermath, the Pride Hamilton board of directors published a statement saying that the situation would not have escalated to such a violent degree had the police responded sooner.
The statement also discusses Pride Hamilton’s multiple attempts to explain to the police that a similar protest happened during Pride 2018 and that they expected the number of protestors to escalate for 2019.
Nevertheless, Miklos’ deputation from July 18, 2019 points out the differences in police responsiveness between the 2006 and 2019 Pride events.
“. . . I am puzzled as to why the [Hamilton] police were unable to mobilize themselves in the same way [they did in the 2006 Pride parade] at Gage Park for Hamilton Pride in 2019, especially since they knew in advance that there was a threat,” she said.
Pride Hamilton’s statement also touches upon the relationship between the Hamilton Police Services and the local queer community.
“There have been long-standing issues between the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and Hamilton Police Services that remain unresolved. We feel that this was an opportunity for police to demonstrate that they were there to protect and act in solidarity with the community,” said Pride Hamilton’s statement.
Hamilton Pride 2019 event at Gage Park being disrupted. Photo C/O CBC News
However, not all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community believe that increasing police responsiveness is the answer. A June 2019 study from McMaster’s department of labour studies surveyed 900 members of Hamilton’s queer community. Approximately one third of respondents stated that they had been treated unjustly by police, and transgender respondents were more likely to report unfair treatment.
Some recount the events of Hamilton Pride as an example of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community coming together to defend themselves.
Indeed, the protest at the Pride event is only one part of the fraught history between the city of Hamilton and the members of its local queer community.
Since 2005, Marc Lemire has been working as IT network analyst for the city of Hamilton. From 1995 to 2005, Lemire ran Heritage Front, a now defunct neo-Nazi white supremacist organization. He was also the webmaster of the Freedom Site, which hosted the websites of several Canadian anti-Semitic organizations.
In an email to CBC News, however, Lemire denied being either a white supremacist or a neo-Nazi. Despite Lemire’s claims, when Lemire’s appointment and history became public knowledge in May 2019, the Hamilton LGBTQ advisory group responded by stating in a motion that with the city allowing Lemire to work for and with them, it had failed to show solidarity with the marginalized communities in Hamilton. According to the LGBTQ advisory group, Lemire’s employment threatens the safety of city staff and volunteers that belong to these communities.
The advisory group is also protesting a police services board appointment from April 2019, which it believes was a missed opportunity to appoint someone who was part of a marginalized community instead of another of the white, straight men that comprise a majority of the current board.
Another criticism from the advisory group is that the city didn’t implement a transgender and gender non-conforming protocol as quickly as they should have. The protocol was established three years after an incident in 2014 that sparked an Ontario Human Rights tribunal settlement. The advisory group also alleged that the committee behind the protocol was chosen by the city arbitrarily, without careful regard of who would best serve the intentions of the protocol.
In consideration of all this, the advisory group declared that since the city has failed to demonstrate solidarity with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Hamilton, it didn’t want the city to fly flags in honour of Hamilton Pride 2019. However, on May 30, 2019, rather than adhering to the advisory group’s request, city officials still chose to fly flags symbolic of Pride and the transgender community — only without hosting a flag-raising ceremony, in an attempt to reach a compromise between the city’s plans and the advisory group’s request.
On May 30, 2019, rather than adhering to the Hamilton LGBTQ advisory group’s request, city officials still chose to fly flags symbolic of Pride and the transgender community. Photo C/O CBC News.
In a CBC article from the time, Mayor Fred Eisenberger insisted on flying the flag, citing that one advisory group does not represent the entirety of the LGBTQ community.
“There’s a much broader audience out there, including our own staff,” he said.
Cameron Kroetsch, chair of the LGBTQ advisory committee, acknowledges that some 2SLGBTQIA+ residents might have wanted a ceremony and that people would have felt differently about the flag-raising.
“It’s a powerful symbol, and you can’t perfectly represent everybody,” he said.
Less than a month after this, on June 15, 2019, the 2019 Hamilton Pride event was interrupted by a hateful protest, and tensions between the city of Hamilton and the local queer community came to a boil.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger tweeted his reaction to the Pride incident, “I am disappointed with the events that transpired at yesterday’s Hamilton’s PRIDE celebration at Gage Park. Hate speech and acts of violence have no place in the City of Hamilton. We are committed to being a Hamilton For All where everyone feels safe and welcome.”
However, the mayor’s intentions did not bring any positive impact for the remainder of the year.
On June 18, 2019, a community conversation regarding Hamilton’s 2SLGBTQIA+ residents ended in a heated discussion about the lack of effort from Hamilton police in keeping Pride participants safe.
On June 22, 2019, in an outcry against the arrest of Cedar Hopperton, an anarchist activist charged with alleged parole violations following the Pride incident, protesters marched from the Hamilton police headquarters in Barton Jail, where Hopperton was detained. Hopperton, a prominent member of the Hamilton queer community, was the first arrest made following the Pride protest. This drew questions and criticism, as videos of the June 15 incident also showed at least two alt-right protesters committing violence against participants of Hamilton Pride. Hopperton’s supporters also argued that Hopperton was acting in defense of the community while the Hamilton Police failed to arrive at the scene in a timely manner.
https://www.facebook.com/TrentCWTP/photos/a.1835158899853468/2268043049898382/?type=3&theater
On July 12, 2019, around two dozen members of Hamilton’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community, alongside allies, set up an encampment at Hamilton city hall in protest of the Hamilton police’s alleged failure to stand in support and in assistance to the city’s marginalized communities.
On Aug. 27, 2019, the Hamilton police expressed the desire to improve their relationship with the city’s 2SLGBTQIA+ community. Jackie Penman, the spokesperson for the Hamilton police, claimed that the police’s goal was to identify what should be done to reestablish communication between the Hamilton queer community and the police.
Nevertheless, a month after this, on Sept. 10, 2019, Chief Eric Girt of the Hamilton police makes homophobic and transphobic comments on the Bill Kelly show. One month later on Oct. 10, 2019, the police board denied a request from Kroetsch from the city’s LGBTQ advisory committee to provide a deputation to the board, claiming that Kroetsch wanted to speak about city issues and not police ones.
When asked about where the police should start with repairing its fractured relationship with the Hamilton queer community, Kroetsch points out that the work behind this has already been done by many kinds of groups long before 2019.
“The chief quite clearly stated that he knew what the issues were. So I think the start has to be … getting a plan from the City of Hamilton, getting a plan from city police to talk about what they’re planning to do now … What can you do, what are you able to do, how are you able to participate in this conversation marginalised communities have been asking you for decades?” said Kroetsch.
He also spotlights the frustration felt by many members of marginalised communities, who have already done a lot of talking and who have to relive traumatic experiences in sharing their accounts with others. Kroetsch says that he does not see a plan coming forward from any civic leaders that truly take into account what marginalised individuals are telling them.
In a similar vein, Miklos criticizes the constant defensiveness from the mayor and the chief of police. She calls for more compassion and urges the mayor to do something more helpful than simply showing up at cultural events.
Regarding the future of the city’s relationship with the local 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Kroestch said that it is up to the city, including the police, to listen and engaged with the right folks.
“There’s a lot of awkwardness there and uncomfortability, and they have to find a way to work through that for themselves, and work through what it means to engage with marginalised communities … And that’s really the start of the work and I think it’s a long road for that. But the sooner they get down that road, the better,” said Kroetsch.
This article is part of our Sex and the Steel City, our annual sex-positive issue. Click here to read more content from the special issue.
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By: Elizabeth Saucier
On Nov. 8, Ontario Court of Appeal Justice Michael Tulloch hosted a police oversight community outreach meeting at the Hamilton Public Library.
The Independent Police Oversight Review occurred following the results of a string of investigations into police activity in the city. Along with this meeting in Hamilton, several others have been scheduled in the province.
Tulloch was tasked by the province of Ontario to study current police oversight organizations and draft a report, due in March 2017, to include suggestions about how to ensure accountability and transparency.
The meeting began with a light buffet and the crowd was a diverse group of around 100, who were asked to mingle and discuss the issues at hand.
“I assure you that in this process all of you will be heard,” said Tulloch, after which the meeting took an unexpected format. Instead of holding a town hall meeting, attendees sat in groups around tables.
Danielle Dowdy, the strategic initiatives lead, explained that each six-person table of attendees was to have a 45-minute round table discussion where various topics were explored. Some of the topics discussed were the likelihood of reporting police brutality, the transparency of police oversight agencies, and the appropriateness of former police officers working for said agencies.
Since many of those who attended did not have any prior knowledge of the three police oversight agencies that were being reviewed, namely the Special Investigations Unit, the Office of the Independent Police Review Director and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission, a pamphlet with a flowchart was provided to explain their functions.
These agencies are currently facing public criticism for lack of transparency, inability to establish justifications for use of force and their continued operation in a climate that encourages retaliation against victims.
The goal was that, after 45 minutes of group discussion, one member from each table would stand and give a four minute speech outlining the answers at which his or her group arrived.
Many recommendations were given, along with criticisms of the current organizations. Some individuals argued that these agencies don’t share enough information to increase public confidence in their function, and that the SIU can establish that an officer acted in self-defence without establishing that he acted with sound judgment or compassion, or without establishing that the officer didn’t cause the initial escalation from which he was defending himself. Attendees also stressed the lack of public education about encounters with the police and the role media outlets hold in smearing victims.
Tulloch listened to the various recommendations without comment. He will publish his review of the SIU, the OIPRD and the OCPC in March 2017.
The Hamilton Police Services has announced that, as of this week, there will be targeted driving and cycling enforcement leading to campus on Sterling Street. Police will specifically be targeting cycling infractions.
"The police have a number of partnerships in the Westdale community, including at McMaster. There’s been ongoing concern about cyclists obeying the rules of the road, particularly in the Westdale area," said Sgt. Scott Moreton of Hamilton Police Services.
Moreton explained that the Ainslie Wood/Westdale Community Association has been expressing concerns about road infractions by cyclists in the area, in addition to the problems observed by police. In particular, Hamilton police will be looking out for stop sign violations and cyclists riding on sidewalks.
He added the the crackdown on cycling infractions is part of a four-week "problem-oriented policing" project that began on March 3.
The Office of Sustainability notes that 37 per cent of students and 18 per cent of employees choose to walk or cycle to campus.
Hamilton police were called to the McMaster campus Friday morning to respond to a threat made against the Institute for Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) building.
Police were contacted just after 9 a.m., according to Sgt. Terri-Lynn Collings, media relations coordinator with Hamilton Police Services, who did not go into details about the nature of the threat.
“Hamilton police responded, secured the building, staff and faculty and students were evacuated from the building, and … Hamilton police are still on scene and will continue to investigate,” said Collings.
The building was closed at around 10:15 a.m.
“Classes and activities scheduled inside that building have been cancelled for today,” said Gord Arbeau, McMaster’s director of community relations.
“Students, faculty and staff have been cleared and sent home for the day,” he said.
UPDATE: The IAHS building reopened on Saturday, with all scheduled events going forward as planned.
