RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said today that she believes systemic racism exists in the police force she leads — after telling several media outlets this week that she was “struggling” to define the term.
RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki said today that she believes systemic racism exists in the police force she leads — after telling several media outlets this week that she was “struggling” to define the term.
“I did acknowledge that we, like others, have racism in our organization, but I did not say definitively that systemic racism exists in the RCMP,” Lucki said in a media statement. “I should have.
“As many have said, I do know that systemic racism is part of every institution, the RCMP included. Throughout our history and today, we have not always treated racialized and Indigenous people fairly.”
Lucki said that, as the country’s top cop, she has a responsibility to ensure the force is “free of racism, discrimination and bias.”
Since the death of George Floyd in police custody in the U.S., police in North America have been facing greater scrutiny about their treatment of minorities and use of violence.
A number of videos have surfaced of police using aggressive force against Indigenous and Black people during arrests, leading to calls for law enforcement to be more sensitive to racial issues.
In the last two weeks, the RCMP has faced questions about some questionable conduct caught on camera.
One officer in Nunavut was seen sla