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Yesterday, @alexmcclelland and I released the white paper for our #PolicingThePandemic Mapping Project. For those who may have missed this or didn't have time to read it, a tl;dr:
Across Canada, there has been an
extraordinary scaling-up in police powers and presence in
response to the spread of COVID-19. States of emergency have been declared in every province and territory.
extraordinary scaling-up in police powers and presence in
response to the spread of COVID-19. States of emergency have been declared in every province and territory.
Virus containment rules are being enforced via provincial public health law, emergency legislation, the criminal code, and municipal by-laws, resulting in hefty fines, and a risk of potential jail time for re-offences.
For example, in certain locations, check-points have been set up. https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/quebec-police-set-up-checkpoints-to-limit-non-essential-travel-between-ottawa-and-gatineau-1.4877436
In other areas, people are being required to identify themselves when questioned by police. https://www.cp24.com/mobile/news/those-violating-ontario-s-emergency-orders-must-id-themselves-or-face-steep-fine-government-order-1.4877051?fbclid=IwAR28uLeK2npZaqF3x1giY30RCPFuoUg2MmdyCc-8tiH2mEbiFPXSKiVZpFs
In some jurisdictions, police and municipal by-law officers have been given the power to enforce public health and emergency orders. https://globalnews.ca/news/6779767/coronavirus-quebec-police/
A myriad of “snitch lines” have been launched across Canada in an effort to bolster police intelligence via crowdsourcing. https://london.ctvnews.ca/london-unveils-snitch-line-for-covid-19-rule-violations-1.4871449#_gus&_gucid=&_gup=twitter&_gsc=2TS4qKM
At the time we wrote the paper, there were reports of 510 people in Canada being ticketed, charged and/or arrested for COVID-19 related violations across 10 provinces. There are now even more. So far, the vast majority of these police
actions have taken place in QC, ON, and NS.
actions have taken place in QC, ON, and NS.
While social distancing and certain other state-imposed orders aimed at the containment of COVID-19 may be effective, punishment for breaking these rules by police and other law enforcement agents is not.
Policing only exacerbates and escalates crises, deterring people from seeking healthcare, while eroding the rights of dignity of targeted people. Moreover, we must recognize that COVID-19 is not an equal opportunity virus and policing is not an equal opportunity institution.
The race and class dynamics of the pandemic are becoming increasingly apparent. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/covid-19-is-ravaging-black-communities-a-milwaukee-neighborhood-is-figuring-out-how-to-fight-back/2020/04/06/1ae56730-7714-11ea-ab25-4042e0259c6d_story.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/03/us/coronavirus-stay-home-rich-poor.html
And based on decades of research in criminology, we
know that police interventions related to COVID-19 will not
impact all people equally. https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/policing-black-lives
know that police interventions related to COVID-19 will not
impact all people equally. https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/policing-black-lives
The #PolicingThePandemic Mapping Project was launched
on 4 April, 2020 to track and visualize these massive and
extraordinary expansions of police power and the unequal
patterns of enforcement they are likely to produce in the coming weeks and months.
on 4 April, 2020 to track and visualize these massive and
extraordinary expansions of police power and the unequal
patterns of enforcement they are likely to produce in the coming weeks and months.
In doing so, we hope that we can bring to light patterns of police intervention, to help understand who is being targeted, what justifications are being used by police, and how marginalized people are being impacted.
And of course we hope the project will inform a larger conversation about the role of policing in society, to scrutinize public health and police collaboration, and to focus attention toward the harms of criminalization.
We encourage all people to use the data available
through this project in any way they wish, and of course to send us any relevant events, developments, suggestions, or feedback.
through this project in any way they wish, and of course to send us any relevant events, developments, suggestions, or feedback.
For the full white paper paper, interactive map, and searchable database of reports, please visit the website https://www.policingthepandemic.ca/ /FIN
