Historically, Halifax has faced policing issues and high crime rates as a port city. While progress has been made through community policing projects, I recognize that more work is needed. My approach to the police budget is balanced, with an emphasis on accountability to justify future increases. This accountability should be overseen by a civilian body of community members knowledgeable about the historical and nuanced harms experienced by vulnerable and racialized communities due to policing. To achieve this, the budget should involve deeper engagement with these communities, focusing on partnerships and community unity. While there are good officers in our city, there are also a few bad apples in every major force. To address this, I support mandatory training and annual educational workshops that incorporate evidence-based social work approaches, such as a trauma-informed lens and harm reduction strategies. Additionally, enhanced discretion should be used to divert criminal justice involvement for community members who have suffered from intergenerational consequences of slavery and police brutality, particularly indigenous and African Nova Scotians.
In addition to this, we need provincial and federal unity to ensure a uniform approach to aiding those marginalized and vulnerable with comprehensive social supports, resources, access to affordable housing, and meaningful non-tokenistic employment. This will help mitigate the allure, glamour, and, in many cases, survivability that underlie the motivations to resort to crime.
I am also aware of the morale and burnout issues among police officers. On the flip side, as a community, we can do better to make them feel appreciated and welcomed in our community. While they are not perfect, they, just like our marginalized communities, deserve a place at the table and to have their voices and concerns heard. I am willing and supportive of hosting town halls where members of the force and the community can come together in a safe space to express their concerns in a productive, respectful, and non-adversarial manner.
The residents of District 7 need to feel safe on their streets, which is not currently happening. Residents do not want to be exposed, robbed, or injured. This requires addressing the root causes of problems such as lack of shelter, food, and economic opportunities.