Racist meme circulated at Ottawa Police Services ‘completely unacceptable’
Posted May 1, 2020 12:52:00 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Ottawa Police Board has recently learned that a racist meme was being circulated within the Ottawa Police Service.
The board became aware of the meme — racialized members of the OPS — at the Police Services Board meeting on April 27.
It deemed the meme “completely unacceptable,”and says it is fully supportive of the swift actions Chief of Police Peter Sloly has taken to address the “unfortunate incident,” including the launching of an internal investigation; contacting the affected members; and engaging subject matter experts to help repair the harm that has been caused.
According to a press release sent by the OPS board, it learned of the meme at the same time as the public and “shares the concerns, hurt and disappointment being felt by the community and members of the OPS.”
“The meme is however a symptom of a far more complex and deep-rooted issue that the board and the OPS continue to work to address and that is the establishment of a culture at the Service that values and celebrates equity, diversity and inclusion. This meme reminds us that our work is far from over, Krista Ferraro, executive director of the Board said in a statement.
“The board will continue to work hand-in-hand with the OPS and the community to ensure the necessary investments are made to engender a positive and respectful work environment at the OPS that is reflective of our diverse communities and removes systemic barriers and inequities people face,” she added.
