The University of Guelph’s Black Students Association is calling to defund and abolish campus police.
In a petition created by the Guelph Black Students Association (GBSA), the student group states that the Guelph Campus Community Police (CCP) has proven to university students that it is unfit or unwilling to support the community. The petition adds that the CCP, the board of directors, the university dean, and the university president have failed U of G students by not disciplining those who have done harm.
The group said that it heard about many incidents that include death threats and hate crimes toward Black students which go unresolved leaving the victim without justice.
The student group is demanding that the university cut 50 per cent of the CCP’s $2.8 million budget —in which 98 per cent is allocated to salary and benefits and 2 per cent to operating expenses— by 2022 and redirect the budget towards support groups such as counselling services, minority groups supports, the cultural diversity office, and LGBTQ2IA+ support programs.
"The Guelph Campus Community Police lack oppression and discrimination training and are not adequately trained in de-escalation or mental health issues. This lack of knowledge leads our officers to respond inappropriately in crisis situations. The lack of training coupled with the CCP’s authority creates an unsafe environment for many students," said a joint statement by the GBSA.
The U of G said it budgets more than $2.5 million to support student mental health through their Student Wellness Office and earmarks more than $2 million to support equity-seeking groups through its Student Experience office. It also said it has many equity and inclusion initiatives that originate from departments such as the office of diversity and human rights.
The petition signed by 541 students as of Tuesday afternoon states that the CCP attends 47 conferences annually and undergoes no training related to anti-opression or implicit biases with only one covering mental health issues.
Communications officer Deirdre Healey stated that CCP staff have taken many online courses through the Canadian Police Knowledge Network along with completing two mental health courses sponsored by the university which covers mental health first aid and mental readiness. She also stated that the CCP attended four conferences and not 47 as the petition indicates.
“CCP has also been actively pursuing further training. Officers are receiving anti-oppression and anti-bias education from the University’s Office of Diversity and Human Rights (DHR) as well as training driven by the Canadian Mental Health Association. CCP is also working with DHR on training to address issues specifically related to equity-seeking groups,” said Healey.
A joint statement from the GBSA said that it believes it can build a community where police presence isn’t necessary by creating new social supports and distributing the nearly $3 million budget from the CCP to fund other existing social supports.
The university stated that it has made a strong commitment toward creating a culture of belonging at the U of G, recognizes that more can be done and welcomes a dialogue on this issue.
“Fostering an inclusive and respectful environment is a top priority, and funding has been dedicated across numerous departments to support equity-seeking groups on campus,” said Healey.
“In addition, specialized anti-bias, anti-racism, and anti-oppression training is provided to a variety of groups, including Campus Community Police (CCP). CCP is an integral part of maintaining a safe and supportive campus and is always working to build on the knowledge and skills of its special constables in order to provide the best service possible.”
