A public consultation on "carding" made its way through Windsor as part of the Honourable Justice Michael Tulloch's Ontario Police Street Checks Review.
Community members from throughout Windsor-Essex gathered at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts Monday night to discuss changes that came into effect in January 2017 — police throughout Ontario must now inform a person they were speaking to on the street that they don't have to provide their name and can walk away in some circumstances.
Ontario Regulation 58/16 does not apply during traffic stops, while being placed under arrest or detained, while executing a search warrant, or while investigating a crime. An officer is required to provide a record of the interaction upon request unless called away for an emergency, but still has to document the interaction and explain why they failed to provide a receipt.
Prasanna Ranganathan is Legal Counsel for Justice Tulloch. He tells AM800 News one concern is a constant at every information session.
"They fell like it's the first time they're hearing about it is at the public consultations," he says. "They want there to be more public information campaigns about the regulation."
He says there's a broad spectrum of feedback being brought forward, both positive and negative.
"We're hearing from some people that they don't want the regulation at all, they think the practice should be stopped, other people are saying the regulation is very complex an it's very hard to understand, others are saying they want things added to it," says Ranganathan.
Meetings are also being held with police and police associations throughout the province on how to properly train law enforcement.
"A lot of people in the consultations want to know exactly what's involved in that training, what topics are covered, should there be more emphasis in certain areas," he says."
Windsor is one of 12 public consultations across the province. Ranganathan says anyone who didn't to give input can do so via www.streetchecksreview.ca.