Edmonton Police Successfully Appeal Human Rights Tribunal Decision in Discrimination Case

Edmonton Police Successfully Appeal Human Rights Tribunal Decision in Discrimination Case

Edmonton police successfully appealed a human rights tribunal decision that found the organization discriminated against two Black men, Yousef John and Caesar Judianga, who were arrested in 2017. The tribunal had awarded the men $80,000 for racial discrimination during their arrest. While the officers involved were not found to have discriminated, the tribunal held the Edmonton Police Service responsible for "unconscious bias." However, the Court of King’s Bench Justice John Little overturned the decision, citing the tribunal's failure to explain how the organization could be liable for discrimination that did not occur.

The incident occurred when John and Judianga called 911 to report a white woman breaking into a vehicle. Instead of assisting them, the officers pepper sprayed the men, forced them to the ground, and made threatening remarks. The woman was allowed to give a statement and was not charged. The police spokesperson acknowledged the pain caused by bias and discrimination but defended the officers' actions based on the information available at the time.

The tribunal's decision and the damages awarded were overturned by Justice Little, who deemed the finding of no discrimination by the officers and the subsequent liability on EPS as unreasonable. He decided against a new hearing to avoid further time and expense for all parties involved. The case, which had been ongoing for nine years, was concluded with the tribunal's decision being dismissed.

In response to the overturned decision, the Edmonton Police Service stated that they consider it appropriate that both the factual decision and the penalty have been overturned. The spokesperson emphasized the critical decision made by the responding officers based on the situation they encountered. The case highlights the complexities of addressing bias and discrimination in law enforcement and the challenges faced in such situations.

For more updates and news, stay connected with our website and support our journalism by bookmarking EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com. Don't miss out on important news by signing up for our newsletters. You can also become a digital subscriber to access unlimited content from The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and other Canadian news sites.