Between 2000 and 2017, police were involved in at least 460 fatal interactions with civilians across Canada. As part of its investigative series Deadly Force, the CBC has assembled the first comprehensive analysis of these interactions and has shared the data with Pivot Legal Society.
Up until this point, no such centralized repository of statistics existed. This vacuum of information is, in and of itself, a problem that engenders a lack of accountability in Canadian policing. Police authorities in Canada have the capacity to collect and release this critical data to the public on an ongoing basis, but they choose not to.
…Indigenous people make up only 4.8% of the population [in Canada], yet represented 15% of total fatalities. Members of the Black community, which makes up only 3.4% of Canada’s population, represented 9% of the fatalities. Both racial groups are disproportionately affected by police violence relative to other ethnicities.
…Together these numbers render a disturbing picture illustrating how police violence has fractured families and communities across Canada. Pivot Legal Society has represented many individuals who know this violence first-hand and understand the need for stronger oversight mechanisms to keep officers accountable.
We, alongside our community supporters and partners, continue to work to strengthen those systems that will chip away at the seeming impunity with which police officers in Canada operate. No one should be above the law, including those who purport to uphold it.
Peter Kim, 17 Years of Police Violence in Canada, Pivot Legal Society (March 28, 2019)
Melinda's Education Blog 
Hi,
To start off, I am a police officer of the Vancouver Police Department. With the recent enlightenment of the tragic events caused by police brutality in America, Canadians including myself have ought to realize such an important issue in Canada. Police brutality can not only impact the victims life but as well is able to impact a community as a whole. I believe that as a police officer in Canada, it is important to address the criminal actions of officers who are involved with police brutality. By addressing the issues involved with police brutality this will be able to, show the community that we stand with them and that all persons should be treated equal no matter what role they play in society.
Also, as a member of the government, I believe that the government should place more laws involved with anti-racism, mental health, gender equality etc. Doing so, this can ensure equality for individuals across Canada. This can lead to less police brutality from police officers.
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RICHY JOHNSON
Hi,
To start off, I am a police officer of the Vancouver Police Department. With the recent enlightenment of the tragic events caused by police brutality in America, Canadians including myself have ought to realize such an important issue in Canada. Police brutality can not only impact the victims life but as well is able to impact a community as a whole. I believe that as a police officer in Canada, it is important to address the criminal actions of officers who are involved with police brutality. By addressing the issues involved with police brutality this will be able to, show the community that we stand with them and that all persons should be treated equal no matter what role they play in society.
Also, as a member of the government, I believe that the government should place more laws involved with anti-racism, mental health, gender equality etc. Doing so, this can ensure equality for individuals across Canada. This can lead to less police brutality from police officers.
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Thank you for your comment—I am glad to see public support from police officers against police brutality and supporting anti-racism, mental health, and gender equality!
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Ian Dyck
Hi all, I am a police officer of the Abbotsford Police Department in Canada. In spite of the recent events in which have caused the BLM movement, I would like to share my thoughts on police brutality. In Canada, statistics have shown that the average age of a police officer to be involved with police brutality is a male officer who is in his 40s. Police brutality can cause a community to lose trust within their police forces like we recently saw in America after the death of George Floyd. In order to lower the volumes of cases involving police brutality, police officers must stay true to the Use of Force Model. On top of this, officers must treat all members of society equally despite their gender, religion or race. Police brutality can leave a long-lasting impact on victims which can cause them to be scarred for life. As a police officer myself, we must change our actions in order to abolish police brutality.
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