Thank you & keep up the conversation

I’ve been trying to find the words to say thank you for the outpouring of support for the petition and the movement for police accountability, but I can’t, and it’s not about me, so instead I’m going to call attention to a few things.

First of all, of course the technology of body-worn cameras isn’t absolutely perfect. It will not solve racism. It's not a magic pill that will fix the system that’s been designed around the oppression of POC. And I’m not an expert. But what it COULD do, here in Halifax, is act as a tool for bringing to light the unjust actions of certain corrupt police officers. Having independent and objective video evidence of any interaction gone wrong is important, especially in a system that is biased toward taking the word of law enforcement officers over anyone, and ESPECIALLY over POC in our community who are so much more likely to face undue harm at their hands. That can mean justice for the victims of police brutality, and hopefully and eventually, the changed behaviour of police who can no longer be allowed to act above the law and discriminate. What is the first step to helping solve a problem if not bringing it to light?

Second of all, I’ve gotten messages from people since posting the petition, and comments on the petition telling stories about times they or their loved ones faced maltreatment at the hands of the HRP, in most cases by racial discrimination, and never were brought to justice or garnered media attention. It’s heart-wrenching and enraging to hear these stories. I encourage anyone who wants to speak up about their experiences to do so (and ONLY if they want to), and I encourage everyone else to stop and listen to these stories and use the anger you feel to help propel change. I think it’s clear that people are ready to listen right now. I wish I had a platform for the voices of those who truly need to be heard right now and whose words hold a lot more value than my own when it comes to the topic.

Thirdly, whether or not this petition can sway the HRP, or you, or anyone else in the community who is reading this to get on board with body worn video, it can at the very least show the HRP that there is a demand from our community for police officers to be held accountable for their actions. If the answer to chest cameras is no, so be it, but it needs to be followed up with a commitment to come up with a concrete plan to improve the accountability of our police force and protect citizens from racial discrimination and unjust treatment. A conversation has been started and we can’t allow it to fizzle out. Look for solutions and try to do your part. Keep the momentum going.