SHELLEY WILLIAMSON/METRO
Mahamad Accord, a local Somali leader, speaks to reporters at the police commission meeting last night. |
METRO EDMONTON
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Somali community is asking the Edmonton Police Commission to hire one of its own to bridge the divide between its community and the police.
“We are calling for institutional change by the commission and if they don’t do that, we petition the province and the federal (government) to come and investigate,” said Mahamad Accord, president of the Alberta Somali Community Centre.
Accord said of the 13 homicides in the past three years, only one involving a Somali was solved and that was directly because of his community’s help, not police work.
“Maybe they should pay us to do the work of the police; we’re already doing it,” Nyambura, executive director of the Edmonton Multicultural Society, told reporters.
“If we don’t see action, that means it’s proof what we say is true,” Accord said.
Accord said out of a local Somali population of 14,000, he can’t believe there is not one qualified member the Edmonton police could hire.
“We are asking them to hire people to know the language and the culture,” he said.
The police commission said it had a copy of the letter addressing Accord’s concerns, which it would review.
“We are calling for institutional change by the commission and if they don’t do that, we petition the province and the federal (government) to come and investigate,” said Mahamad Accord, president of the Alberta Somali Community Centre.
Accord said of the 13 homicides in the past three years, only one involving a Somali was solved and that was directly because of his community’s help, not police work.
“Maybe they should pay us to do the work of the police; we’re already doing it,” Nyambura, executive director of the Edmonton Multicultural Society, told reporters.
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Accord said Somali youth have been turned away from police recruitment offices.“If we don’t see action, that means it’s proof what we say is true,” Accord said.
Accord said out of a local Somali population of 14,000, he can’t believe there is not one qualified member the Edmonton police could hire.
“We are asking them to hire people to know the language and the culture,” he said.
The police commission said it had a copy of the letter addressing Accord’s concerns, which it would review.
Police are treating Somalis like “second-class citizens” as they investigate crimes, said Mahamad Accord, who alleges people who could help investigations are not being called. Among issues addressed in a letter are “hurtful” remarks by Det. Bill Clark to media on Jan. 2 regarding the local Somali community. Police handling of violent attacks on Somali members and unsolved homicide cases is also being called into question in the June 3 letter to the police commission. A town hall is slated for June 24 at the Alberta Avenue Community League to address gun and gang-related violence.