Over the years, I had the pleasure of knowing some very good police officers within the Halifax Regional Municipality. In my opinion these officers stood out for their genuine respect, compassion, serve and protect all attitude and their community involvement. Most times these officers did not use force but dialogue instead.
These former police officers quite often would engage in meaningful conversation, ask culturally appropriate questions, pass a joke and sit and have a coffee at times and would ask if they could call you by your first name.
Some of these officers I had the pleasure of working with and or instructing.
These officers include Jim Huskins, Charlie Verge, Paul Ruggles, Max Hartley, Calvin Lawrence, Harry Todd, Chris Friess, member of the police band including Cst. Jackson and a number of others.
Maybe some of the current members of the Halifax Regional Police Service who seem to employ Anti Black Racism when coming in contact with members of the African Nova Scotian community should take examples from those former members noted above.
Raymond Sheppard
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