Learning from indigenous youth to build relations and earn trust in policing

Abstract

As part of a local police service’s larger organizational change initiative, this study explored trust in policing. A cultural safety lens was used to hear Indigenous youths’ truths and experiences. Methods comprised three focus groups with 19 participants (age 18-30 years) in the spring of 2019. Researchers employed a three-phase procedure to code and analyze the data. Findings highlight factors that led to participants’ mistrust and perceptions of biased policing. Participants also recommended four ways for police to gain their trust through education, community engagement, respectful relations, and accountability. Implications for practice ensure a culturally safe approach for police and other mainstream organizations to follow for institutional changes that promote trust and reconciliation. Conclusions and next steps follow for an iterative, dialogical process for cultural safety.

Keywords:

• Policing
• youth
• Indigenous
• trust
• cultural safety

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 In this article, we use the terms Indigenous, Anishinaabe, and First Nations interchangeably to describe the youth participants. Also, we do not change participants’ descriptions of Indigenous peoples (e.g., Native), nor terms used by scholars that we cite.

2 For more information about the Oka confrontation, please see Dickason (1998) and Obamsawin (1993).

3 For more information about the Ipperwash confrontation, please see Dickason (1998) and Hedican (2013).

4 For more information on the deaths of these seven Indigenous youths in Thunder Bay see Ministry of the Solicitor General (MCSCS) (2016) and Talaga (2017).

5 Anishinaabe is an Ojibwe word for the original peoples of Thunder Bay. A tobacco tie is a pinch of sacred tobacco, wrapped in small piece of cloth, and tied with a ribbon. Researchers offered tobacco ties to participants to request their participation. To accept tobacco is to accept the invitation and come to the discussions with a good heart and mind. Offering tobacco ties is a local Anishinaabe cultural protocol.

6 This recommendation has been deferred due to COVID-19. The researchers recommend that the TBPS implement this recommendation as soon as safety restrictions for gathering are lifted.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leisa Desmoulins

Leisa Desmoulins is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, Lakehead University. Her research engages researcher-practitioner collaborations to explore intersections between education, Anishinaabe sovereignty, and action for change.

Melissa Oskineegish is an external adjunct faculty in the Faculty of Education, Lakehead University. Her research interests include cultural safe practices in education, Indigenous education in teacher education programs, self-awareness and self-reflective practices in teacher education.

Kelsey Jaggard completed her Masters of Education with a specialization in Indigenous Education at Lakehead University. She currently works for the Yukon Native Language Centre.