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“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

ADAM OLSEN -- Participation in the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act



I am honoured to be named to the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act.

 

Our society is grappling with deeply entrenched systemic racism throughout our institutions. The critical work of this committee has been needed for a long time.

 

I'm thankful that the terms of reference of the committee extends beyond just the Police Act and provides Members the freedom to be more expansive in our review.

 

In Saanich North and the Islands we have a variety of policing challenges including urban, rural, isolated and First Nations communities. We have both municipal and RCMP detachments providing policing services. As a result, I have heard a range of feedback from my constituents that will help inform my work on the committee.

 

In addition to ensuring that Indigenous, Black and other people of colour are fairly treated by police it is critical that the provincial government ensures that the people who are responsible for the safety and security of our communities are highly trained, have ongoing training, and that they have access to, and the support of, professionals with expertise in areas such as mental health and other social services.

 

This blog post is by no means comprehensive, nor does it represent the complexity of the issues. I am aware of many of the issues and I will unpack them over the coming weeks and months. However, I hope you will feel comfortable sharing your policing experiences with me to help better inform my work.

 

Please email my office at Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca or call at 250-655-5600.

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