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Edmonton police are opening an internal investigation and reviewing their practices after officers removed homeless people sheltering in a city-centre LRT station during an extreme cold snap over the weekend.
Acting Chief Alan Murphy told councillors at the community and public services committee meeting Wednesday police will clarify their role in extreme weather protocols and share that information with all members. Professional standards has opened an investigation, a public complaint has been filed, and the department is reviewing processes and actions, he said.
“We should have arranged transportation or helped in accessing the services our partnering agencies have in place to keep our most vulnerable safe and warm. We must do better, and for this we are sorry,” he said, reading a prepared statement.
Rob Smyth, deputy city manager of citizen services, said the incident at the LRT station does not align with the city’s values and that LRT stations are not designed to be overnight shelters.
He said fewer city staff were available because they were helping outreach agencies bring people to overnight shelters so the city asked police to patrol transit stations.
“The Edmonton Police Service stepped up and responded to our request for help patrolling transit stations and pathways where social disorder has been steadily increasing over recent weeks. The incident with members of the Bear Clan this past weekend, makes it clear that a critically important opportunity exists to clarify our own policies regarding what activities are permitted in city facilities, including transit centres,” he said.
The city will make a new set of shared standards with police that outlines an approach for those using transit stations.
“(It) will stress the importance of compassion and care in communicating rules and finding solutions while being mindful of the necessary role played by the broader social system in meeting the needs of people experiencing homelessness.”
