Visible minorities in Canada often distrust the criminal justice system due to continued overt, covert and systemic racism. In particular, police are felt to target them unjustifiably (Ungerleider & McGregor, 1993). Continued incidents of police brutality and discrimination against minority groups have raised concerns about the need for further training and questioned the adequacy of police training programs (Andersen et al., 2023; Idoko, 2024). Despite the recent focus on effectively policing diverse communities, there is a paucity of research on the types of diversity programs and their effectiveness in improving police-community relations in Canada.

This research project aims to expand on the limited research available on diversity training in Canadian police services by working closely with two police services in Ontario to address their needs. The goals are to identify the main issues in their communities concerning policecommunity relationships, develop inclusion and anti-oppression training, and assess its effectiveness over time. This three-year project will utilize a sequential mixed methods design. This study seeks to work closely with two police services, which are both forward-thinking and innovative organizations, to identify critical concerns in their
communities as they relate to police-community relations, to develop an IATP customized to their communities' specific needs and to assess its effectiveness over time. Our research project has the potential to significantly impact, and drive innovation related to diversity training programs for police officers in Canada.

Read the Georgian College article here.