KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – Training to become police officers in Nova Scotia, as in the rest of Canada, is insufficient.
To enter most Canadian Police Training Programs you only require a grade twelve or a GED equivalency, and in some jurisdictions college courses including criminology, legal studies, sociology and psychology. You also need a valid driver’s license and should not have a criminal record.
You receive training in provincial and federal laws, criminal investigations, patrol procedures, firearms training, traffic control, defensive driving, communication codes, report writing, self-defence, physical fitness training, first aid and computer skills and, in some training programs, communications and field work.
Very few police training programs in Canada have specific programs dealing with behavioural science. Two retired officers of the Toronto Police Service say they had a psychological evaluation when applying to the force, yet they do not believe this is standard across Canada.
I believe all police training in Canada and indeed Nova Scotia should first and foremost advance diversity and inclusion in their ranks to reflect the community they will serve.
Training should build skills and best practices in cultural competency, diversity, equity and inclusion, community relationship building, respect and equitability, people skills, counselling and mediation. Candidates should also learn about provincial human rights legislation, anti harassment and discrimination, privilege, gender issues, sexual violence, and the Charter of Rights.
If police officers across Canada had the above-mentioned training they might not feel the need to bully and use excessive force against African people and other Persons of Colour. The training might also serve to take a bite out of anti-Black racism.
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Great commentary, there’s a practice of due diligence in Occupational Health and Safety and most of what we as one culture must understand, only until those whom are willing to look inside, turn themselves back out into a society, that seems to not except them individual as they are, undo the Justices that’s been done upon us. Let’s all be good stewards of Safety no matter the systemic Occupation!