Hate-motivated crimes spike in Edmonton in 2021, EPS acknowledges shortcomings

EPS Police Chief Dale McFee apologizes to members of the LGBTQ2S+ community on May 3, 2019.

EDMONTON -

Crimes motivated by hate – including racist rhetoric, physical attacks, property damage and online threats – spiked in Edmonton in 2021.

The city is on track for more than 100 hate-motivated crimes this year, and the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) detailed some of its shortcomings in dealing with victims in a new report Thursday.

"There is increasing fear among racialized and vulnerable communities amid an apparent rise of hate-based incidents," said a report presented to the Edmonton Police Commision Thursday.

EPS compiled the data as part of its Commitment to Action plan that was launched in September 2020, following social justice protests across the globe.

More than 600 residents were consulted including cultural leaders, social services employees, and business owners.

The report's authors also consulted with people of colour and members of the LGBTQ2S+ community.

Up until mid-September, 97 hate-motivated crimes were recorded in 2021 with 41 of those being crimes against people and 56 concerning property damage.

 

(Source: EPS Commitment to Action Report)

The report notes that under-reporting of these crimes can impact the numbers.

"Knowing the perpetrators of these behaviours are in Edmonton, or planning to travel to Edmonton, raises anxiety among racialized communities," it concluded.

"It leads people to avoid visiting certain public locations and causes apprehension during everyday activities such as grocery shopping or walking down the street."

'EPS CAN COME ACROSS AS INDIFFERENT'

The report also details citizens' frustration with police officers in general, and specifically when hate crimes are being reported, including alleged "rude and disrespectful treatment."

Cultural awareness training, better communication and more interaction with racialized people is recommended in the report.

"Acquiring a better understanding of the worldviews and perspectives of members of racialized communities would help lead to fewer misunderstandings and reduce the risk of situations becoming escalated," the report said.

It also said that EPS officers should be "mindful about the use of verbal language, tone and body language," particularly when dealing with racialized or vulnerable residents.

"Frustration was expressed with the EPS taking a position that some perpetrators of hate are not technically breaking the law," the report found.

"It was said that by taking this position the EPS can come across as indifferent to hateful behaviours and the threats those behaviours present to racialized and vulnerable Edmontonians."

While police officers can't change hate-crimes laws, the report details how officers can be more sensitive and sympathetic to victims.

Chief Dale McFee signed the report in October and EPS has promised to implement a "roadmap" to addressing the issues in early 2022.

McFee said some of the report was hard to hear, but necessary.

"You can't get better unless you actually hear what you need to work on," he told the commission.

BETTER DEFINITION NEEDED: MCFEE

McFee said some of the spike is pandemic related, with more hate being directed at Asian people, and he believes a lot of the incidents involve perpetrators struggling with mental health.

He also wants Ottawa to reexamine the laws and sentences regarding hate-motivated crimes.

"There needs to be some legislative changes from the federal government, a better definition of what is a hate crime," he said.

"A lot of things don't meet the requirement of where it needs to, to be a hate crime."

That means people who are convicted in crimes involving racism and other hate often get a sentence that's too light to change behavior, he said.

Despite the rise in incidents, several commissioners applauded the direction that EPS was going in terms of handling it.

"One of the big motivations for (my) joining the commission was the unrest that happened as result of the George Floyd homicide and the inequities by these communities," commissioner Kemi Kufour-Boakye said.

"I'm very encouraged by the progress that has been made with this work."

Edmonton city council recently passed a motion to create a plan to address hate-based violence and champion anti-racism work.

Council is also in the process of updating what the city considers as harassment in its public spaces bylaw, in the hope of tackling some racist activity.