8/12/2019 Edmonton Police Services Liaison Letter

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Edmonton Police ServiceLGBTQ Community Liaison Committee

Open Letter to the CommunityFor Immediate Release Friday, April 30, 2010 @ 9:00am

There has been much community concern and media coverage regarding the alleged assault onShannon Barry, which occurred in the early morning of Saturday, April 17th. This alleged assaulthas been described as an attack against the LGBTQ community because its victim is a lesbianand because the perpetrator allegedly used homophobic language during the altercation. Otherconcerns have been expressed about the investigating police officers 4-day delay in filing theincident report.

As a result of the concerns expressed by the victim herself, the LGBTQ community, andEdmontonians in general, the LGBTQ Liaison Committee has engaged in a case consultationwith the EPS Chief of Police, Mike Boyd, members of the Hate Crimes Unit, and senior policeofficers. Upon review, a number of actions have been taken or are planned in regard to this case,including an:

internal review regarding the processes of the investigation, investigation by the Edmonton Police Services Hate Crimes Unit, and independent review of the matter by the Alberta Crown Prosecutors Office.

The investigation into the incident continues. Edmonton Police Services has told the LGBTQLiaison Committee that based on its initial review, the alleged assault appears not to bemotivated by hate, but was an altercation which involved an exchange of slurs, some of whichincluded homophobic language. According to the Edmonton Police Service, the alleged assaultdoes not meet the legal threshold for being considered a hate crime. Whether or not this allegedassault constitutes a hate crime will ultimately be determined by the independent review of theCrown Prosecutors Office. How this alleged assault is defined does not, however, mitigate itsserious nature and we deplore its impact upon the individual, the LGBTQ community, andEdmontonians.

We acknowledge that the Police Chief has publicly apologized for the breach in reporting policy

by the attending Constable. We also acknowledge the timely arrest of the alleged perpetrator, theinvestigation by the Hate Crimes Unit, and statements from the Chief of Police, whichdemonstrate the gravity in which the EPS has taken our communitys concerns.

The LGBTQ Liaison Community Committee will continue to monitor this investigation andEdmonton Police Services action relative to this case and we will continue to respond publicly tothis issue as the investigation continues and more information emerges.

Sincerely,

8/12/2019 Edmonton Police Services Liaison Letter

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EPS LGBTQ Community Liaison Committeeepslgbtq@yahoo.ca

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The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-identified, and Queer (LGBTQ) Liaison Committee, which was

established in 1992, is independent of the police service, and serves as a bridge between theEdmonton Police Service and the sexual-minority community. It calls upon the Edmonton PoliceService to be accountable for equality in policing and for bias-free conduct and ethical practice asit relates to the LGBTQ community.

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