There are calls for more racial equality in the treatment of non-white City residents by police.

And Toronto Police say they are quickly marching towards equity for all on the force in response to a second interim report by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) released this week.

The Toronto Police Service and its Board say they have undertaken initial steps towards reform and is creating an Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Unit staffed by ‘subject-matter experts’ for the implementation of best practices in human rights and supports training to officers.

“It strives for the delivery of bias-free services and offers guidance to service members to learn and practice diversity and inclusion,” says a joint August 10 Toronto Police and Board response to the OHRC report.

Police say the Unit and staff funding were approved by the Board in May 2019.

The force also approved a Race-based Data Collection Policy Strategy for the promoting of equity, fairness and non-discriminatory police service delivery.

“The Service began collecting and analyzing race-based data with a focus on data related to use of force,” police say.

There will be more anti-Black Racism Training, with officers “learning about implicit and explicit bias and lived experiences that affect the Black community in relation to systemic discrimination and policing.”

The OHRC released its report as part of an Inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination of Black persons by Toronto police. The Inquiry began in November 2017.

“The Board takes seriously the significant work the OHRC has done, the need to consider it thoroughly, and to take action,” says Board Chair Jim Hart. “We are committed to working with the OHRC, in partnership with the community to move forward together to address the issues we are facing.”

“We are continuing to work on ensuring that equity and anti-racism are built into all of our policies and practices,” said Toronto Police Interim Chief Jim Ramer.

The issues were brought to the front-burner following the deaths of Regis Korchinski-Paquet and George Floyd by Minneapolis police and later protests.

The proposals will be voted on by the Board at its August 18 and 19 virtual meetings.