ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — Newfoundland and Labrador’s police watchdog says it will start today collecting race-based data from the cases it investigates.
Michael King, director of the Serious Incident Response Team, says race-based data collection is essential in identifying inequalities in the justice system that arise from racial bias and discrimination.
King says the data will help guide the agency’s approach to providing equity in access to the justice system.
The watchdog says in a news release that the data it collects will be given voluntarily by people involved in its investigations.
In January, the RCMP also said it would begin collecting race-based data as part of a one-year pilot project to better understand interactions between police and the public.
The RCMP said it would collect, analyze and report the data to gain insight into the experiences with the justice system of Indigenous, Black and other racialized people.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2024.
The Canadian Press
