Black Police Officers testified on racism within the York Regional Police Service

BY MICHAEL THOMAS

Four black York Regional Police Officers and their lawyer appeared before the York Regional Police Services Board (YRPSB) on Wednesday, March 24^th, to make a vitally important deputation on matters of systemic racism and discrimination within the service.

The officers include 19-year veteran Detective Neil Dixon. He is currently on leave as a result of suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, due to a near-death experience after a racial profiling incident involving two white YRP officers and a Sergeant.

Special Constable Vernley France has been with the force for nineteen years. In 2015, he came forward to address the issues of racial discrimination and anti-black racism in the workplace. As a result of his coming forward, York Regional Police retaliated in the form of a series of ongoing reprisals against the Caribbean Canadian Constable.

Police Constable Dameian Muirhead is an eighteen year veteran of the service. The Jamaican Canadian officer continues to endure various internal and external adversities while maintaining exemplary work performance as documented in all his formal work evaluations.

The fourth Officer is identified as Police Constable ST.

“The deputation is an act of bravery on the part of the officers who have been traumatized over many years. It is also an act of bravery on the part of the York Region Police Service Board to build bridges and address systemic racism,” explains the officers’ Counsel for Justice and Equity Courtney Betty. “The goal is to make York Region a model for other police forces to follow.”

Normally deputations are held at the York Region Administrative Centre’s chambers in Newmarket, but Wednesday’s deputation was live online on Zoom and viewable by the media and the public on YouTube.

Special Constable Vernley France was the first officer to give testimony in this deputation. France told the hearing that he came to Canada as a student and after his studies he decided to make this country his home.

“At the age of ten” he said, “I had a dream to become a police officer and in the year 2002 I joined York Regional Police after completing Ontario Police College.”

“I am here today, because York Region Police have a very serious problem, York Region Police are black people,” “France said.

France explained how one officer told him that the only reason he was hired is because he is black, and how he was hired just to reflect the community. He was told by another officer that black people are low, and mostly criminals. France’s final words were “If something was to happen to me, York Region Police is responsible.”

The second officer to testify was constable ST who had almost the same experience as France. ST said he was bullied and harassed. “I faced discrimination by high-ranking officers,” he told the hearing, “I was receiving threatening phone calls from my supervisors even on my days off.”

Police Constable Dameian Muirhead spoke, and again for the third time, his story was very similar. Muirhead told the hearing that after an incident on the job, York Police sided with the perpetrators who had suggested that he be lynched.

“York Region Police,” Muirhead said, “have inflicted as much harm as possible to my wife and I.”

Nineteen year veteran detective Neil Dixon was last to testify and he reinforced most of what was already said by his three peers. “I was told by my coach that I am a nice guy, but I have a language barrier because of my Jamaican accent,” Dixon told the hearing.”

In closing, attorney Courtney Betty thanked the board for listening, and commended the officers for coming forward saying, “I hope today would be a starting point to building a bridge that would be an example for many others.”

The YRPSB is a seven-member civilian governing body mandated to oversee the police service. Those in attendance were: Vaginia Hackson  (Chair, Mayor of East Gwillimbury), Maurizo Bevilacqua (Vice Chair, Mayor of Vaughan), Wayne Emmerson, Josh Cooper, Jennifer Fang Walter Perchal, and Norma McCullough. Mrs. McCullough is the only black member of the Board; she is currently a member of the Association of Black Law Enforcers.

There are 2,400 men and women working for the York Regional Police under the command of chief Jim MacSween, Deputy Chiefs Brian Bigras , Paulo Da Silva, Cecile Hammond and Robertson Rouse. Deputy Chief Rouse, a Trinidadian Canadian, is the only Black officer in the service’s Upper Command.

There are 1.2 million citizens living in York Region, and 25,000 who self-identify as black.