THUNDER BAY - After being sworn in as chief of the Thunder Bay Police Service nearly seven months ago, Darcy Fleury has taken the unique step of holding an open forum with First Nation leaders and organizations in an effort to create stronger communications and hopefully rebuild trust between Indigenous people and the city’s police service.
“The number one priority that was highlighted to me in my hiring was rebuilding that trust,” Fleury said. “It’s about having those difficult conversations and what will it take to get to that point where we have that trust back and that they are assured they are getting the best service.”
The Gawendum Gaakina Awaya Chiefs Forum, the first of what Fleury said will be ongoing forums, was held in Thunder Bay on Tuesday. Attendance included Anishinabek Nation Grand Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs, the Fort William First Nation Chief and council, and community partners.
The gathering included discussions relating to the expectations of the Indigenous community regarding the Thunder Bay Police Service, the recruitment of Indigenous employees, expectations of the Indigenous community, and how the two can work together.
“It is about expectations and really a chance to come together and have that chat,” Fleury said.
The forum happened to be held on the fifth anniversary of the release of the Office of the Independent Police Review Director’s report that found systemic racism at an institutional level within the Thunder Bay Police Service.
“We are not going to forget what happened in the past or some of the feelings that were out there in the past,” Fleury said. “It is something we have to learn from and going forward have that honest and open communication.”
The OIPRD report included 44 recommendations directed at the Thunder Bay Police Service.
Anishinabek Nation Grand Chief Reginald Niganobe said he is pleased to see the Police Service has been working toward completing the recommendations from the reports and inquests in recent years.
“It’s good to hear that some are being implemented and that there is some action. That is the biggest one for me. The second is that we are actually having this event, and communication is open,” he said.
“The communication needs to start and be open. We are receptive to that and having that two-way dialogue and hopefully achieving some solutions and some more recommendations.”
Fort William First Nation Chief Michele Solomon agrees that the forum with First Nation leadership is an important first step in rebuilding trust among Indigenous people and police.
“More conversations like this needs to happen,” she said. “I think it has become very apparent in the room that a lot of people are not aware of some of the work on the part of the Thunder Bay Police Service. So it speaks to the need for more community conversation to happen.”
Solomon added that it’s important that there is an understanding from both perspectives, from that of the police and First Nation communities.
“I think police would be received better if they were present in communities at a level not at enforcement but just understanding people better,” she said, adding that rebuilding trust goes beyond just the Thunder Bay Police Service.
“I think it is vital for the city to be represented here and hear what some of the First Nation leadership has to say, what some of the organizations that serve Indigenous people, but really, this is more than a police issue for sure,” Solomon said. “If we look at all institutions that Indigenous people encounter on a daily basis, they encounter barriers and systemic racism in all institutions.”
Fleury said he will be working to ensure what is being heard at the forum will be implemented on the frontlines.
This will include the continuation of reconciliation training for all members of the Thunder Bay Police Service, which Fleury said is on track to be completed in 2025, as well as policy reviews by the Police Services Board.
“That is one of the big things we want to do, is include our Indigenous community into policy review,” he said. “The board is putting policies together, we do procedures, and we want to get it out there so they have a good understanding of what we are doing and get some input into it.”
Fleury said he intends to make these forums an ongoing process, with hopes of scheduling a second one in late spring or early fall next year.
