Thunder Bay police chief meets with First Nations leaders in first leadership forum

Thunder Bay police Chief Darcy Fleury continues his outreach efforts, meeting with leaders from First Nations in the region in his first Chief's Forum, saying it is a chance to help repair a broken relationship between police and Indigenous people in the city.

On Tuesday, the police and Indigenous communities discussed expectations of each other in what Fleury said would be the first of ongoing forums.

"When we do these types of things they see that we're really working hard towards our overall goal which is rebuilding that trust," Fleury said. He acknowledged that change is needed and that it won't come easy.

Fleury highlighted efforts to recruit Indigenous employees, as well as a new Indigenous advisory committee in development. The committee, which Fleury said will have their first meeting in the new year, will help the police strengthen relationships with First Nations.

"If we have that relationship up front, we have those advisers present, they can help, we can work together and help get through those tough conversations."

The relationship between the Thunder Bay Police Service and Indigenous people has been broken in recent years, following reports documenting systemic racism within the force, outside re-investigations of death investigations involving Indigenous people, and a call from First Nations leaders in the region to disband the force entirely.

The work is underway to repair that relationship, Fleury said, through ongoing meetings like this which can show the police are taking the investigations of deaths involving Indigenous people seriously.

"I think we have to really work hard at letting them know that we are working very, very difficult jobs," he said. "That's where we need to start changing that narrative and change that perception to [show] that we are really doing a good job on the work that needs to be done."

More meetings to come

Fleury said this event would be one of multiple open conversations to follow in an effort to create ongoing dialogue with the community. Since he was hired earlier this year, he's held a number of community forums to listen and learn from community members.

"It's a good start," said Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Reginald Niganobe, "That's the basis of how First Nations operate, is that open communication back and forth over extended periods of time to share ideas and where we're at and updates."

Niganobe said he hopes to see the police force take concrete action to address the many recommendations made to it by outside agencies over the years.

In 2022, some First Nations leaders called for the TBPS to lose its powers to investigate major criminal cases following the leaked report, including Nishnawbe Aski Nation Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum and Melvin Hardy, Anishinabek Nation's deputy grand chief for the northern Superior region.

At Tuesday's meeting, Fort William First Nation Chief Michele Solomon said that this dialogue is a good first step, but that she hopes police will implement recommendations for frontline officers to learn more about local First Nations as they begin their careers.

Solomon suggested new constables come visit a friendship centre or organization that supports Indigenous community members.

"Having new hires go to organizations and understand what those organizations do and introduce themselves so that, you know, there's some familiarity that would lend to building those relationships," said Solomon.

"When they are meeting people in their work, oftentimes they're not meeting people on their best day. So when they meet people at the friendship centre, they might be meeting them in a better way than encountering them during a criminal situation or a legal situation."

This would also help officers develop knowledge of resources in the community they can refer people to, Solomon said.

While she described her relationship as chief with the Thunder Bay police as positive, Solomon said it will take time for police to earn the trust of the more vulnerable members of the community who are most likely to interact with front-line officers.

"We are still hearing from people that don't feel that safety and don't feel that trust," she said.