Hate in Cornwall pt. 4 – Cornwall Police

You can read PART 3 Here, PART 2 Here and PART 1 Here

Sam, a 26-year-old trans man, and his family have faced repeated harassment for displaying a Pride flag outside their home. During the Covid pandemic, they decorated their house with Pride decorations for Pride Month, which led to them being targeted multiple times. Initially, the attacks were limited to their flag being torn down, but the vandalism escalated significantly this summer. Their story was shared in the first two parts. A section on resources is found in Part 3.

Interview with Chief of Police, Shawna Spowart

Quote from Chief of Police, Shawna Spowart

“Hate crimes and bias incidents targeting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community are deeply concerning and have no place in our society. The Cornwall Police Service is dedicated to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and safety of all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We stand alongside the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and are committed to ensuring that these incidents are handled with the utmost care and that those responsible are held accountable. While significant strides have been made in advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, we recognize that there is still much progress to be made. It is important to remain mindful that prejudice and discrimination can still affect members of this community, and we must continue working together to foster a more inclusive and compassionate society for all.”

Quote from Elizabeth Quenville, President of Diversity Cornwall

“Diversity Cornwall is very disheartened to hear about the experience that was shared by a local family in this morning’s edition of The Seeker. This family’s experience aligns with the increase in hate speech, harassment and homophobia/transphobia that we have seen in our community in recent years. These actions have severely impacted our community members and have resulted in many of our community’s most marginalized members feeling alone and afraid. Our organization is committed to advocating on behalf of 2SLGBTQIA+ community members to increase awareness, acceptance and inclusion of our community, and to educate our community regarding 2SLGBTQIA+ identities. We will continue to work with the Cornwall Police Service to increase awareness of the issues facing our community and to work towards creating a safer and more accepting city for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members through awareness raising activities, inclusivity education and promoting/enhancing existing reporting mechanisms. We believe this highlights the important need for a local Police Service committed to working with local agencies to protect our community’s most marginalized members.”

Does the situation described in the article qualify as a hate crime?

Yes, this is a hate crime.

A hate crime is a criminal offence committed against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by the offender’s (real or perceived) bias, prejudice or hate against an identifiable group. This could include race, nationality, ethnicity, language, colour, religion, gender expression or identity, age, mental or physical disability or sexual orientation or similar factor.

The perception is that hate crimes against the 2SLGBTQ+ community are on the rise in our community. Do you agree?

In recent years, there is a clear increase in hate crimes in our community.

In 2023, there were seven people charged with 23 offences in which the incident involved an element of hate. A total of 36 reports were filed and the majority stemmed from incidents of hate toward the complainant and/or victim’s race/ethnicity/nationality. Here’s a breakdown:

• 53% Race/ethnicity/nationality
• 19% Sexual orientation
• 19% Religion
• 6% Multi-bias
• 3% Sex/Gender

Here is a breakdown for the last five years:

How have the police responded to the reports of vandalism and harassment against the family, and what measures are being or can be taken to investigate these hate crimes?

The CPS is currently investigating the incident. Chief Spowart and a representative of Diversity Cornwall plan to meet with the victim. Our hate crime investigator has also reached out to the family to discuss the specific circumstances pertaining to this incident.

What is the police department’s official policy on handling hate crimes, and how does the department ensure that there is zero tolerance for such acts in the community?

The Cornwall Police Service supports the initiative of the Solicitor General of Ontario to combat Hate/Bias Motivated Crime and Hate Propaganda directed at those within our community because of their race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Members are reminded to consider the possibility of hate or bias motivation in any occurrence investigated.

It is the policy of the CPS that investigations into hate propaganda are undertaken and managed in accordance with the police service’s Criminal Investigation Management Plan. Often no single factor will be sufficient to determine that a criminal occurrence is motivated by hate or bias. Various pieces of information will have to be assessed.

What challenges do you face in addressing hate crimes in our town, and how do you ensure these incidents receive the necessary attention?

Education. There is a continuing need to educate both the public and our own staff. The public need to report such incidents and occurrences so police can investigate them appropriately. Having said that, there is a need to continue to educate CPS staff to ensure that these cases are indentified a the onset and responded to appropriately as well.

What steps are being taken to ensure the safety of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in our town, and are there specific programs or initiatives in place to support victims of hate crimes?

• Dedicated CPS Liaison: The CPS has and EDI coordinator that works closely with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, addressing concerns, building trust, and promoting safety.
• Hate Crime Unit: We have officers that have been training in Hate Crimes and investigate hate-motivated incidents, ensuring that victims receive appropriate support and that crimes are treated seriously.
• Training and Sensitization: Ongoing dedicated training for police officers focuses on understanding and preventing discrimination, ensuring that they are equipped to handle 2SLGBTQ+ concerns with sensitivity.
• Support and Advocacy Programs: we do have a partnership with Diversity Cornwall to offer resources for victims of hate crimes. These programs often include emotional support, legal assistance, and community outreach.
• Public Awareness Campaigns: We launched a Hate Crimes awareness campaign and allowed reporting to occur online through a QR code.

What advice do you have for members of the 2SLGBTQAI+ community on how they can better protect themselves from potential hate crimes or harassment?

• Know your rights and educate yourself
• Engage only when it is safe to do so 
• Protect your personal information online   
• Consider security monitoring systems/cameras
• Create a support system, a network of friends, family and allies
• Contact local service agencies for support 
• Report hate speech and hate crimes to the Cornwall Police Service at https://cornwallpolice.com/en/crime-prevention/crime-prevention.html/hate-motivated-incidents or by calling 613-932-2110

Hate Crimes reporting QR code: