Thunder Bay police Chief Darcy Fleury knows firsthand what it’s like to experience racism — and that has helped guide his first few months on the job as he looks to overhaul the embattled police force and repair relations with the Indigenous community.

The Metis man took over the top job on the police force in May and has made one thing clear to his officers.

“Racism will not be tolerated and it will cost people their jobs,” Fleury said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

Several damning reports in recent years, including an expert panel’s findings this past spring, have found systemic racism within the Thunder Bay police force toward Indigenous people. The panel also found a “profound lack of trust” of the police by the Indigenous community.

Fleury, a veteran RCMP officer who rose through the ranks over the past few decades to a district commander in central Alberta, believes his Indigenous heritage will help him navigate the rough waters in Thunder Bay.

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Global News
October 11, 2023