2021 Citizen Satisfaction Research: Perceptions of Black and Indigenous Calgarians

By The Calgary Police Commission   

   Both Indigenous and Black participants want better treatment by CPS. They want CPS to appreciate where they have come from, what they’ve experienced, and to understand how this impacts their impressions of and experiences with CPS. They believe this level of understanding can help improve their interactions with CPS. They also would like to see CPS trained on cultural sensitivities to improve the outcome of interactions with all BIPOC citizens. Alternative call response received support from both groups, stemming from the shared perception that there are other professionals who possess the skills and expertise needed to diffuse and de-escalate calls requiring crisis response. For Indigenous participants, negative associations with social workers and health care workers means they are not an appropriately trained profession to respond to crisis calls with Indigenous people. Both Black and Indigenous participants spoke of the need for: ▪ More BIPOC diversity within the ranks of CPS, ▪ Mandatory anti-racism and cultural competency training for CPS officers to enhance relations with all BIPOC groups, and ▪ Inclusion initiatives to encourage greater involvement of CPS in the communities it serves that cultivates positive interactions with Indigenous and Black citizens.eractions. The officer’s role should be to deescalate situations and use of force should be a last resort  

Calgary: Calgary Police Commission, 2021. 71p.