Yesterday we learned that five fired police officers in the United States were charged with second degree murder and other offences. This was the result of the killing of a young Black man named Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop in Memphis Tennessee earlier this month.

Over the past few days as we learned of this event, I have reached out to local Black community leaders to discuss the issue and offer support. Although this tragedy occurred in another country, it will impact trust and confidence in policing by Black and all equity-deserving communities in Canada as well.

It is important that our Service continues to work on building trust and that we listen to the needs of the community we serve. Our efforts to enhance de-escalation and unconscious bias training are first steps, and the community-led redesign of our advisory committee on diversity to include Black voices will continue.

Our staff are professional, accountable and committed to the safety of every citizen. Together we condemn this unnecessary and tragic loss of life.