Well-being Checks? Rodney Levi and his Case’s Impact on Abolition Movements

Introduction/Fact Pattern On June 12th, 2020, Metepenagiag Mi’kmaq First Nation, a small community west of Miramichi, tragically lost one of their own. 48-year-old Rodney Levi was fatally shot twice by an RCMP officer after Levi became distressed and allegedly would not let go of two kitchen knives retrieved from a home where he was attending …

Winnipeg Police Use Social Media as Victimization Tactic

Background From July 28th to August 6th of 2023, the City of Winnipeg was named as host of the World Police and Fire Games, an “Olympic-style competition” which, per the official website, aims to recognize and celebrate the athletic achievement of those in law enforcement and the fire service across the world (2023). The website …

Women Suffering at the Hands of Their Abusers and Police Officers

Intimate partner violence has been getting an increasing amount of public attention from not only researchers but also from the general population. Intimate partner violence is defined as “any physical or sexual violence, stalking, and/or psychological aggression by a current or former dating partner or spouse” (Leemis et al., 2022, p. 1). Intimate partner violence …

Toronto Police’s 1981 Operation Soap: How Queer Identity Fits into Social Order

On February 5th, 1981, the Metropolitan Toronto Police force carried out ‘Operation Soap’, a coordinated raid that was the final conclusion to six months of undercover work seeking to expose illegal sex work in four bathhouses located in the Toronto area. Despite no evidence of sex work being found during the undercover work, the reason …

Edmonton Police Service (EPS) to Incorporate Facial Recognition Technology in Future Investigations

In February 2022, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officially confirmed that it would begin using the NeoFace Reveal facial recognition software in its investigations moving forward. According to Edmonton police Superintendent, Devin Laforce, the technology “will aid in identifying suspects quicker and preserve time and resources” (Cook, 2022). Further, the EPS takes the “successful” integration …

Toronto Police Continue the Cycle of Violence Against Homelessness

As the rates of homelessness ceaselessly increase, so too does the use of police force against this population. Despite public concern, the City of Toronto heavily relies on this method as a means of dealing with the homeless population, as witnessed in the summer of 2021. This trend is not new, as some of the …