NAN fed up with police racism

Deputy Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler and three chiefs have filed a human rights complaint after Thunder Bay Police Service (TBPS) issued a news release containing virulent and demeaning stereotypes about First Nations people.
“When I first saw the press release that the Thunder Bay Police made, I was just really disappointed and hurt by it, knowing Adam (Yellowhead) and his friends,” said Nibinamik Chief Johnny Yellowhead. “The way they were labeled, like fresh breath, I think that is unprofessional.”
The TBPS issued a press release on Sept. 1 titled The Fresh Breath Killer Captured!!, about an arrest in the death of Adam Yellowhead, a First Nations person from Eabametoong who had been found deceased on Aug. 29 in Thunder Bay.
The press release further stated that: “The fresh breath killer was captured in Kenora. The “SCPOE,” with detective John Reid listed as the contact person.
Within minutes another press release was issued by Thunder Bay Police Service retracting the first press release.
“When I did police training, when we were doing codes, we never used to label people how they lived,” Yellowhead said. “I think that was unprofessional and uncalled for. I think it really needs to be looked at and fixed.”
Yellowhead is looking for TBPS to treat everybody equally.
“When you work with people, in order to gain respect, you need to show respect,” Yellowhead said.
During a Sept. 5 meeting between Fiddler, Deputy Grand Chief Goyce Kakegamic and Deputy Grand Chief Les Louttit and TBPS members, Deputy Chief of Police Andy Hay said the TBPS would be undertaking an internal investigation into whether there was misconduct by Reid. But Hay also said the TBPS does not see the press release as a racial issue.
Thunder Bay Mayor Keith Hobbs, a member of the Thunder Bay Police Services Board, also made comments to the Chronicle Journal that the Thunder Bay Police Service need not apologize and it was wrong to put a racial connotation on the press release.
“What a sorry and sad state of affairs that a member of a police services board and the mayor of this city would draw these conclusions prior to any investigation, would in essence foreclose the concerns of many community members,” said Julian Falconer, legal counsel for Nishnawbe Aski Nation. “The truth of the matter is that this comment in this press release needs investigation by experts who are neutral and objective. The comments of Mayor Hobbs before an investigation was done, the comments of the chief of police make clear that they have disqualified themselves as being objective.”
Yellowhead and Fiddler filed the human rights complaint at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario along with Eabametoong Chief Harry Papah and Namaygoosisagagun Chief Angela Paavola.
“After receiving numerous complaints over the years of the misconduct of the Thunder Bay Police, this latest incident was the tipping point for the First Nation communities to file a complaint with the Human Rights Tribunal,” Fiddler said. “First Nations Chiefs and First Nations organizations in Thunder Bay are frustrated by the irresponsibility of members of the police force over the years and this latest incident is a clear example that serious steps must be taken.”