Achi news desk-
The First Nation of British Columbia is calling for the suspension and dismissal of an RCMP officer from Bella Bella over social media posts he made before joining the Mounties.
Heiltsuk Tribal Council Chief Marilyn Slett says in a letter to the Bella Bella division of the RCMP that the officer posted “racist text and images.”
Superintendent.-Cmdr. Brian Edmonds of the Northern District RCMP says in a statement that police are aware of the concerns and that a “non-behavioral administrative process” involving the officer is underway.
Slett’s letter includes images from social media posts showing a white man wearing an Afro-style wig with a caption saying “BLACK AND PROUD.”
Another social media post shows a man dressed in colonial garb in front of the Union Jack, with the caption: “Now what to do about these pesky natives causing trouble in the colonies.”
Slett says Heiltsuk leaders met with RCMP officers earlier this week, but the officer remains on duty in Bella Bella.
He said RCMP officials told them a transfer process was underway for the officer but could take 45 to 90 days to complete.
“It is unacceptable for police officers serving in Indigenous communities to have these types of attitudes,” Slett’s letter to the group said. “This is an urgent community safety issue. Our nation has zero tolerance for racism in our community.”
Edmonds said in his statement on Friday that the RCMP “is committed to finding the right balance between addressing the concerns through a fair process and the importance that individuals (and) the community have trust and confidence in their officers police and the RCMP.”
Edmonds said the social media posts were made “about nine to 17 years” before the officer joined the RCMP.
There have been recent tensions between the Heiltsuk and the police.
Heiltsuk Nation member Maxwell Johnson was falsely arrested and handcuffed in 2019 with his then 12-year-old granddaughter outside a Vancouver bank, sparking a human rights complaint against the Vancouver Police Board.
A trauma healing ceremony was held in the community in 2022 after reaching a settlement.
But the two officers who arrested Johnson and his granddaughter did not attend, prompting Heiltsuk’s chief to return a gift he received from Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer at the ceremony.
This report was first published by The Canadian Press on May 24, 2024.
