(Halifax) Canada’s police chiefs say the frequency of protests linked to various global conflicts is creating unsustainable demands on police services across the country.
The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), meeting in Halifax for its annual summit, released a resolution Tuesday calling on all levels of government to provide the “moral and financial support” needed to meet the demand for services.
Thomas Carrique, who is the commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police and also the president of the CACP, says chiefs are increasingly concerned about having to pull officers from their regular duties to police protests.
PHOTO NICK IWANYSHYN, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Thomas Carrique
Additionally, Mr. Carrique says an increasing number of protests across the country have become threatening or violent.
He stresses that as protests become more complex, police will need more officers, equipment and training to deal with them.
Mr. Carrique adds that the police also have a responsibility to reach out to different communities, including areas where new immigrants live, to build trust.