Searching for Justice: Accounts of Police Misconduct during Search and Seizure Practices

• In Event: Roundtable: Policing - Stop and Search

Abstract

Instances of police misconduct often have media appeal, but are typically reported on after charges have been laid against the police officers involved. This may limit how we see and understand cases of police misconduct in Canada. To date limited Canadian research has explored experiences of police search and seizure practices, particularly within marginalized communities in Canada. Preliminary research has uncovered multiple instances of perceived mistreatment by police during criminal investigations within Toronto’s downtown neighborhoods. This research aims to build upon these preliminary findings through an exploration of the accounts of individuals, with an emphasis on women and ethnic minorities, involved in the illicit narcotics and weapons trade.

Authors

• Carolyn Greene, Athabasca University

• Marta-Marika Urbanik, University of Alberta