Calgary police working to recruit more officers from city’s Somali community

Imam Abdi Hersy speaks with members of the Calgary Police Service and members of the Somali-Canadian community at a meeting between the two groups held on Jan. 10, 2015.

By Morgan Modjeski
Friday, January 23, 2015

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The Calgary Police Service says recruiting officers from the city’s Somali-Canadian community is a high priority for the force.

Since the beginning of 2015, two members of the Somali-Canadian community were killed by violence and religious leaders in the community say the sooner they have a larger representation on the force, the better.

“It’s very important, it’s crucial and it will tackle … the lack of the co-operation between police and the community members,” Imam Abdi Hersy told Metro.

“We cannot take anymore time before another young life is taken away,” he said. “We need police officers that share many common grounds with the Somalian young people on the streets.”

Hersy said he believes having officers on the force will provide police insight into the inner workings of the Somali-Canadian community and help youth feel a sense of belonging within Canadian society.

CPS reaching out to Somali youth

Officials with the CPS said the service is currently trying to target Somali youth and young adults through its Junior Police Academy, Calgary Police Cadets and the Calgary Police Auxiliary Cadet mentorship program.

“This is giving these youth opportunities,” said Staff Sgt. Clare Smart, with the youth intervention and mentorship unit.

“With this cadet core or the junior police academy, we’re not trying to make all of these youth police officers. We’re trying to make them good citizens within the community and the surrounding areas.”

She explained these programs allow youth a safe space to ask questions, learn about one another and different cultures, while also learning more about the CPS.

Const. Raul Espinosa, a member of the diversity resource team handling the African portfolio for the Calgary Police Service, said police are also in communication with a number of community leaders and elders.

“We need to build that trust and bridge those gaps that exist,” Espinosa said.

“We understand that these folks … they come from areas in the world that have been going through lots of unrest, so they see police officers as a branch or an arm of the government.”

“So I kind of see how they come to a new country like Canada and also come with that distrust for people like us, for the police,” he said. “It takes time and it takes a lot of reaching out to bridge those gaps.”

Smart noted the CPS is working with members of the Somali community to coordinate activities like open houses and presentations on policing in the future.

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