Rally to end carding in Hamilton

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A group of Hamiltonians marched through downtown today, to bring awareness to carding by police. Their goal was to get the practice abolished.

According to a 2011 census, within the downtown core, where the crime rate is the highest, visual minorities make up 35% of the population. Police records show that between 2010-14, 25% of people carded were members of a visual minority, a number that concerns many. “These are people who’ve never been convicted, arrested and yet the information is stored on them. This is a crime against our privacy and it needs to stop.”

Yesterday, the Hamilton Police Services Board opted to not suspend carding while the provincial government works to regulate it. The reason? Because it interfered with day to day operations.

“The police services act clearly states that the police services board can’t involve itself in operational issues. We can’t be driving around in cruisers and stopping people from speeding” said Police Services Board Chair Lloyd Ferguson.

So while the province creates carding regulations, Hamilton police have adopted policies that had been accepted by Toronto Police back in April