Peel police taking applications for Anti-Racism Advisory Committee

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Published February 22, 2022 at 10:09 am

Peel Regional Police are looking for Mississauga and Brampton residents who want to be a force for change in the community to join the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee (ARAC).

The ARAC is part of a plan to identify and address systemic racism in Peel policing.

The group will be made up of between 12 to 21 members who have diverse backgrounds and understanding of the Peel community who live or work in Brampton or Mississauga.

The committee is a collaboration between police, the Peel Police Services Board and the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Police say the ARAC will help address systemic racism in the service by giving advice and feedback on anti-racism practices, as well as the impact of policing on diverse communities in the region.

Applications for the ARAC are open from Feb. 22 until March 5 at PeelPolice.caHumanRightsProject and will be finalised by May.

Applicants must:

  • Live and/or work in Brampton or Mississauga for at least one continuous year.
  • Experience working with or interacting with Peel Police.
  • Over the age of 18.
  • Experience working or volunteering in an area that focuses on community well-being.

Police say the work of the ARAC will contribute to fair and equitable policing in Peel Region, and will advise the PRP’s Human Rights project as it addresses systemic racism in the Peel Police.

A survey in December on policing in Peel found many residents were sceptical of the force’s willingness to address systemic racism, with only 45 per cent saying the force demonstrates commitment to achieving police reform.

More than half of those surveyed said policing in Peel Region needs reform at 58 per cent, and the survey found people want to see “more accountability and greater transparency” when police interact with the public they serve.

The ARAC was born out of a Memorandum of Understanding between police and the Ontario Human Rights Commission committing to eliminate systemic racism in policing, promote transparency and accountability, and enhance Black, other racialized and Indigenous communities’ trust in policing throughout Peel Region.

For more information on the ARAC visits www.PeelPolice.ca.

 

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