OPS Statement on the Death of Tyre Nichols in Tennessee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday January 27, 2023     10:45 am

(Ottawa) – The death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of police officers in Tennessee is inexcusable and deeply troubling.

The Ottawa Police Service recognizes that Mr. Nichols’ death on January 10 is felt across North America, including Ottawa. We send our condolences and thoughts to all those who knew and cared for Mr. Nichols.

Mr. Nichols’ death, like so many before him, is tragic. This tragedy destabilizes communities and undermines trust in police.

We join in the calls for justice, and we support the steps being taken to fully investigate the incident and hold the individuals accountable.

We are reaching out to members of Black and other marginalized communities in Ottawa to express our concern about the death of Mr. Nichols, offer any support we can provide, and affirm our commitment to providing equitable policing in Ottawa.

Police need to be held to the highest standards of conduct. We are committed to ensuring everyone in our community is safe and feels safe. Every person has the right to fair and equitable police service. 

We continue to take steps to improve police services in Ottawa. We have updated our Use of Force and de-escalation training, and we are partnering with the community to provide all members with anti-Black racism training. We are also rolling out a training program for all police members that is based on the principles of active bystandership. 

We remain committed to actively working to address systemic racism and to being held accountable to the communities we serve. In compliance with Ontario’s Anti-Racism Act and Human Rights Code, we are collecting and reporting on race-based data, including in all Use of Force incidents. This year we are tabling a new three-year Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy, and the 2023 budget includes heightened measures to address hate crimes and support marginalized communities within our City.

With Black History Month starting next week, the OPS will continue to engage with members of Black communities across our City and participate in meaningful discussions about how we can continue to make progress toward equitable policing.

We have approximately 2200 employees at the Ottawa Police Service that are dedicated to keeping this community safe.  We will be successful and gain the trust of the community by working with and listening to all citizens of the National Capital Region.  Let’s keep working together.    

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