Questions of Racism in Police Investigations and Implications for Our Justice System
Author | Roger Shallow |
Pages | 101-121 |
QuestionsofRacismin
PoliceInvestigationsand
ImplicationsforOurJusticeSystem
Roger Shallow*
“Race,” writes the great historian Nell Irvin Painter, “is an idea, not a fact.
IndeedRacedoesnotneedbiologyRaceonlyrequiressomegoodguyswith
big guns looking for a reason
A. INTRODUCTION
On a beautiful September eveni ng in my two Black friends and
I were walking home from campus We all grew up in Toronto and
wereinoursecondyearofstudiesattheUniversityofWindsorAswe
nearedourdestinationweobservedapolicecruiserdrivepastusWe
instinctivelylookedateachotherandmyfriendsbegancountingdown
thenumberofsecondsthatwouldpassbeforetheinevitablehappened
Iwasjustabouttotellthemtheywerewrongwhentheywerequickly
provenrightThepolicecruiserexecutedaUturnandappearedalong
sideofusinlessthanaminuteTwouniformedocersalightedfrom
thecruiseranddemandedtoknowwhowewerewherewelivedand
whereweweregoing
OftheCrownLawOceCriminalMinistryoftheAorneyGeneralforOntario
IdonotspeakonbehalfofmyemployerAnyviewsandopinionsexpressed
throughoutthispieceshouldnotbetakenasmyemployersposition
TaNehisiCoatesWhatWeMeanWhenWeSayRaceIsaSocialConstructThe
AtlanticMay
RS
Ifoundmyselfspeakingwiththeolderocerwhiletheyoungerof
cerstoodbymytwofriendsandwatchedIsurmisethatIbecamethe
focusoftheolderocersaentionbecauseIhadaskedwhywewere
stoppedandexpressedsomeknowledgeofmyrightsAsacriminology
studentIknewwehadsomeTheocerlookedatmelikeIwasapor
traitofignoranceandthenrecitedapredictablemantraSoyourea
wiseguyWelltherehavebeenbreakandentersintheareaandyout
theproleIwaspreyfamiliarwiththatmantraandhadbecomecon
ditionedtounderstanditasanobviousandconvenientreasontoooften
usedtomaskanoensivetruthThepowerimbalancewaspalpableand
undeniableandthecircumstanceswereprecariousAccordingtothe
ocersallwehadtodowasjustplaythegameshowsomeidentica
tionandmyfriendsandIcouldgoalongItwasnotabigdealPer
hapsfromtheirperspectiveitwasnotButwhataboutourperspective
I havebeen a skedto w rite aboutracia lization of police investiga
tionsandrelatedimplicationsforourjusticesystemTheintersectionof
raceandcriminallawandenforcementcontinuestoreceiveconsider
ableaentioninlegalacademicandpublicpolicydiscussionsThere
sulting national conversations surrou nding race are critical issues for
legalanalysisparticularlyinlightofthewelldocumentedhistoryofra
cisminCanadaTheperniciousnessofracismanditsvariousmutations
createanumberofimplicationsforthecriminaljusticesystemandare
frequentlylinkedtocomplaintsofracialprolingandoverpolicingof
certaincommunitiesCondenceinthepolicehelpskeepcommunities
safeandpromotespublictrustArbitraryanddiscriminatorypolicing
does notIt is importa nt to encouragevoluntary i nteractions between
policeandpotentialwitnessesorbystanderswhocomeforwardtoshare
informationItisequallyimportanttoensurethatsuchencountersare
IusedtothinkthatCrownswereanextensionofthepoliceandpartoftheproblem
ThatmisperceptionwascorrectedthroughaseriesofluckycircumstancesandIwent
ontoenjoyafulllingcareerasCrowncounselaftergraduatingfromtheUniversity
ofWi ndsor law school in Unf ortunately many young people of colou r who
experienceracialbiasintheadministrationofjusticedontgetsuchopportunities
OntarioHumanRightsCommissionUnderSuspicionResearchandConsultation
ReportonRacialProlinginOntarioTorontoOntarioHumanRightsCommis
sionDavidMTanovichUsingtheChartertoStopRacialProlingThe
DevelopmentofAnEqualityBasedConceptionofArbitraryDetention
Osgoode Hall Law JournalatTanovichUsingtheCharterRobynMay
nardPolicingBlackLivesStateViolenceinCanadafromSlaverytothePresent
WinnipegFernwoodch
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