A man wants to meet with Regina’s mayor to talk about a Public Complaints Commission report that found police used excessive force when they arrested him more than one year ago.
Simon Ash-Moccasin went to City Hall on Monday to present the commission’s findings to Mayor Michael Fougere. A meeting didn’t take place because Fougere had other commitments and found out too late about Ash-Moccasin’s visit.
Ash-Moccasin filed a public complaint after two police officers mistook him for a suspect they were looking for and forcefully detained him in December 2014.
While the commission did not find that racial profiling was an issue, Ash-Moccasin says he believes it’s something that needs to be addressed within the force.
“There is systemic racism in all facets of the society here,” Ash-Moccasin said. “So, I’d like that to be over.”
Fougere says he will consider meeting with Ash-Moccasin, but does not want the incident to paint a picture of all Regina police.
“Let’s just make sure we’re talking about one example versus an entire police conduct every day,”
Fougere told reporters.
“Certainly, in this case, we’re dealing with humans. Police are human, they make mistakes.”
Earlier this month, Regina Police Chief Troy Hagen offered an apology to Ash-Moccasin, and pledged that all officers would undergo a “refresher course” on how to make an arrest.
Ash-Moccasin says he will continue to call for meetings with the mayor and the Regina Police Service to discuss the commission’s findings. He also plans to file a complaint with the Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission.
Based on a report by CTV Regina’s Creeson Agecoutay
