Burnaby joining RCMP pilot analyzing interactions with racialized communities

An RCMP patch is seen on the shoulder of an assistant commissioner, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday, April 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Burnaby RCMP will be taking part in a national pilot project analyzing how RCMP interact with racialized communities to help improve policing.

According to a news release, the Disaggregated Race-Based Data pilot “aims to collect, analyze and report race-based data to better understand the experiences of Indigenous, Black and other racialized individuals and communities in their interactions with police.”

The aim is to improve how the Mounties serve diverse communities across Canada. Burnaby will join RCMP in Whitehorse, Yukon, Wood Buffalo, Alta.and Thompson, Man. 

The project’s goals include identifying “differences in policing outcomes for Indigenous, Black, and other racialized communities” and better understanding “the nature, extent, and impact of systemic racial disparities in community safety.”

Burnaby RCMP will join other departments already taking part in the pilot on April 1, 2024.

During the pilot, Burnaby RCMP said,officers will “record perceived information about an individual’s race or Indigenous identity in specific policing interactions.

“The pilot will focus on arrests, wellness checks, and use of force, with the goal of understanding and addressing any disparities in outcomes.”

Once the RCMP is finished collecting data, that information will be analyzed and released to the public. 

Burnaby RCMP said it was chosen to take part in the pilot because of “the diversity of (the) community.”

“We believe (this pilot is) an important step in continuing to build trust and more inclusive communities for everyone,” said Chief Supt. Graham de la Gorgendiere with Burnaby RCMP.