Edmonton Police Service LGBTQ Community Liaison Committee

Open Letter to the Community

For Immediate Release Friday, April 30, 2010 @ 9:00am There has been much community concern and media coverage regarding the alleged assault on Shannon Barry, which occurred in the early morning of Saturday, April 17th. This alleged assault has been described as an attack against the LGBTQ community because its victim is a lesbian and because the perpetrator allegedly used homophobic language during the altercation. Other concerns have been expressed about the investigating police officers 4-day delay in filing the incident report. As a result of the concerns expressed by the victim herself, the LGBTQ community, and Edmontonians in general, the LGBTQ Liaison Committee has engaged in a case consultation with the EPS Chief of Police, Mike Boyd, members of the Hate Crimes Unit, and senior police officers. Upon review, a number of actions have been taken or are planned in regard to this case, including an: internal review regarding the processes of the investigation, investigation by the Edmonton Police Services Hate Crimes Unit, and independent review of the matter by the Alberta Crown Prosecutors Office.

The investigation into the incident continues. Edmonton Police Services has told the LGBTQ Liaison Committee that based on its initial review, the alleged assault appears not to be motivated by hate, but was an altercation which involved an exchange of slurs, some of which included homophobic language. According to the Edmonton Police Service, the alleged assault does not meet the legal threshold for being considered a hate crime. Whether or not this alleged assault constitutes a hate crime will ultimately be determined by the independent review of the Crown Prosecutors Office. How this alleged assault is defined does not, however, mitigate its serious nature and we deplore its impact upon the individual, the LGBTQ community, and Edmontonians. We acknowledge that the Police Chief has publicly apologized for the breach in reporting policy by the attending Constable. We also acknowledge the timely arrest of the alleged perpetrator, the investigation by the Hate Crimes Unit, and statements from the Chief of Police, which demonstrate the gravity in which the EPS has taken our communitys concerns. The LGBTQ Liaison Community Committee will continue to monitor this investigation and Edmonton Police Services action relative to this case and we will continue to respond publicly to this issue as the investigation continues and more information emerges. Sincerely,

EPS LGBTQ Community Liaison Committee epslgbtq@yahoo.ca ______________________ The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-identified, and Queer (LGBTQ) Liaison Committee, which was established in 1992, is independent of the police service, and serves as a bridge between the Edmonton Police Service and the sexual-minority community. It calls upon the Edmonton Police Service to be accountable for equality in policing and for bias-free conduct and ethical practice as it relates to the LGBTQ community. -30-