Members of the Community Cultural Focus Group met on Oct. 7 to discuss the relationship between the police and various cultural groups in the Fort Saskatchewan community. Photo Supplied.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7 Inspector Mike McCauley, the Officer in Charge of the Fort Saskatchewan RCMP, in conjunction with Coreen Rayner, Acting Director of the Fort Saskatchewan Protective Services Department, and members of the Fort Saskatchewan Policing Committee, held the first Community Cultural Focus Group meeting.
The purpose of this meeting was to “bring forth concerns, issues and gaps that exist between Law Enforcement and the many diverse and under-represented groups that call Fort Saskatchewan home.”
“Both the RCMP and the City of Fort Saskatchewan Protective Services Department have a goal to listen and learn from the experiences of our citizens,” the RCMP shared in a press release.
“I have never experienced a stronger relationship between a city and Law Enforcement than I have experienced in Fort Saskatchewan. I am, however, aware that there is always room for improvement in everything we do. I recognize that different cultural groups will not be comfortable with the more traditional communication formats used by the police such as Town Halls,” said Insp. McCauley.
“Thanks to this Focus group we now have new strategies to reach and connect with previously under-represented groups. I look forward to meeting and working with the diverse people within our community,” McCauley continued.
Acting Director of the Fort Saskatchewan Protective Services, Coreen Rayner, noted the first meeting was a success.
“In the first meeting, it was a great meeting, and Inspector McCauley’s intention was to touch base with the different types of groups we have and determining gaps in differences in culture and how they relate to policing,” Rayner said.
The focus group was comprised of Inspect. McCauley, City Councillor Jibs Abitoye, an Indigenous representative, Phillipino representative, a member of the policing committee, a restorative justice representative, and an LGBTQ2+ representative.
“I think the whole Black Lives Matter movement is one of those things … Inspector McCauley thought it important and a great time to start engaging community in that way,” Rayner explained.
Rayner said the RCMP and Protective Services have been limited by the coronavirus pandemic, in their attempts to connect with the broader Fort Saskatchewan community, but that they hope to be a part of community events going forward.
“Due to COVID-19 we can’t attend community events, but that is the plan going forward, to attend community cultural events and have that RCMP representation at those events going forward … Once the pandemic is over we hope to be more active in the community,” said Rayner.
City Councillor Jibs Abitoye echoed the need for the focus group and noted the first meeting was an encouraging experience.
“With everything that happened in the U.S. with George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, I felt it was important to have that conversation,” Abitoye explained.
While Abitoye expressed she has not heard of specific racial tensions between community members and the police within Fort Saskatchewan, the focus group is a proactive step for the city.
“I have not heard about many issues with the RCMP within Fort Saskatchewan, but there are many issues in Edmonton and the area, so it is important for us to be proactive and make sure we don’t have those issues here,” Abitoye said.
“It’s important to have that understanding and education and a lot of great suggestions came from that first meeting … We don’t want to just talk, we want action … We want to see action being taken and I’m very happy and proud with the RCMP and what they have done so far,” she said.
Abitoye noted she looks forward to engaging virtually and meeting again in the new year to continue the discussion.
“A lot of minority groups avoid the police so it becomes how do we bridge that gap and build that trust,” Abitoye added.
