Justice News 

Halifax police release use of force policy, three years after request from oversight board [VIDEO]

CBC (Aug. 22) — Two years after a confrontation with protesters ended with angry shoving, pepper spray and almost two dozen arrests, Halifax Regional Police finally released its policy on use of force.

It comes as an external review by a Toronto law firm is underway into police action during a protest on Spring Garden Road in August 2021, when hundreds of people tried to stop police and city workers from removing shelters used by homeless people.

To read the full story via CBC: CLICK HERE

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Halifax Regional Police clash with protesters over Halifax homeless shelters in 2021
[Click the photo to watch] – What CBC News learned analyzing video, police reports detailing clash with protesters over Halifax homeless shelters – [Click the photo to watch]

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Black Community Support Line - 1-866-732-1253 Ext. 2

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Staff from the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute. Photo: Matthew Byard

(Sept 12-28) Black Justice Strategy Community Engagement Sessions

Canada’s Black Justice Strategy Community Engagement Sessions – Hosted By ANSJI The African Nova Scotian Justice Institute is leading public

Black man threatened at gunpoint by Halifax cop in 2021 sues HRM

A Black man threatened at gunpoint by police on video in 2021 is suing the municipality, alleging the officer discriminated upon him, assaulted him, and violated his Charter rights.

Full article available @: Halifax Examiner (HalifaxExaminer.ca)

Halifax Regional Police Chief Dan Kinsella speaks during a meeting of the Board of Police Commissioners on Monday, Dec. 13, 2021. He is scheduled to testify in the Kayla Borden appeal hearing this Thursday in Burnside.

Borden’s lawyer, board chair debate line of questioning around systemic racism during constable’s testimony

Andrew Gough, the lawyer representing the Halifax Regional Police, openly scoffed and laughed at the notion that the denial of systemic racism within the HRP by one of its officers would be evidence, in of itself, of systemic racism within the force.

Kirk Johnson speaks at an Equity Watch webinar about his former lawsuit against the Halifax Regional Police for racial profiling.

Kirk Johnson recounts legal battle with Mike Sanford and Halifax Regional Police

“I said in order for me to help my peers, to help people that been racially profiled while driving, this has to be out there and everybody has to know about it,” Johnson recalled in Equity Watch webinar.

Halifax appoints first Black police chief: Don MacLean

Halifax Regional Council approved the recommendation by the Board of Police Commissioners to appoint Don MacLean as the Acting Chief of Police. MacLean, who is currently Deputy Chief of Operations, assumes the position on Sept. 16 following the retirement of Chief Dan Kinsella on Sept. 15.

Top left photo: Halifax Regional Police officers Const. Mark Pierce & Const. Craig Trudel in Feb. 2020 moments before arresting a 15-year-old Black teenager who suffered injuries during the arrest (seen in the bottom left three photos) before releasing him without charges. Right photo: Const. Mark Pierce entering a restorative justice meeting in May, 2023.

Halifax constable referred to restorative justice for 2020 assault on Black teen [VIDEO]

Const. Mark Pierce, the Halifax Regional Police officer charged with assaulting a 15-year-old Black boy outside of a mall in Bedford in February 2020, came face to face last week with the youth and his parents for the first time since the night of the incident.

Demario Chambers, now 19 years old, said he received a concussion, cuts, bruises, and badly hurt finger at the hands of Pierce and his partner Const. Craig Trudel when they arrested him.

They released Chambers without charges to his parents later that night.