Brampton(Canada) The Peel Police Service Board has received Peel Regional Police’s 2024 Use of Force report and adopted new measures aimed at tackling long-standing racial disparities, including the launch of a Disparity Analysis and a Well-Being Plan.
The report shows that 28 per cent of Use of Force incidents in 2024 involved Black individuals, a decline from 34 per cent in 2022 and the lowest level recorded to date. However, with Black residents comprising only 9.87 per cent of Peel’s population, they remain nearly three times more likely to experience force compared to their share of the population.
Working with the Anti-Racism Advisory Committee, community leaders and academic experts, Peel Regional Police analyzed more than 10,000 custody cases in 2024 to better understand the drivers behind these disparities. The study concluded that no single factor explains the outcomes, but a mix of social and justice-related factors contribute, including prior arrests, mental health and addiction challenges, unstable home environments, and the severity of the alleged crime.
Crime severity emerged as the strongest factor, increasing the likelihood of Use of Force by 455 per cent.
At the same time, Peel police reported a 111 per cent increase in Use of Force reports compared with 2023, attributing the rise largely to spikes in violent crime and weapons-related calls.
Despite the increase in reported cases, the service highlighted progress in reducing harm. Since the introduction of the Human Rights Project, there has been a 79 per cent reduction in community injuries during Use of Force incidents, and a 90 per cent drop in injuries to officers. De-escalation strategies continued to play a dominant role, used in 96.1 per cent of interactions in 2024.
Building on the Human Rights Project
The newly adopted Disparity Analysis and Well-Being Plan will build on reforms under the Human Rights Project, which has reshaped police policy, training and accountability practices to reduce over-representation of Black, Indigenous and other racialised communities.
Key initiatives include:
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Multi-Sector Consultations: Working with education, child welfare, social services and justice sectors to address root causes of disparity and share insights.
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Regional Advocacy: Presenting disparity findings to Peel Regional Council to align equity priorities with policy and resources.
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Regional Strategy Table: Establishing a cross-sector group to coordinate systemic responses and monitor accountability.
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Data-Driven Expansion: Broadening disparity analysis to include arrests and charges by 2026–27.
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Youth Engagement and Community Outreach: Leveraging the Youth Engagement Strategy, Peel Police Foundation and other initiatives to support long-term outcomes.
Quick Facts
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28% of Use of Force incidents involved Black individuals in 2024 (down from 34% in 2022).
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Over 10,000 individuals analyzed in disparity review.
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Individuals involved in high-severity crimes are 455% more likely to face Use of Force.
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111% increase in Use of Force reports compared to 2023, tied to violent crime and weapons calls.
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De-escalation used in 96.1% of all incidents in 2024.