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Calgary cop slams BLM in police union magazine, denies systemic racism

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A Calgary officer’s column in the police union’s magazine that calls Black Lives Matter a “police hate group” is drawing criticism from a local anti-racism leader.

The fall 2020 edition of the Calgary Police Association’s magazine 10-4 includes the column titled “Smile and Nod” by Geoff Hoover, a constable with the Calgary Police Service.

The article discussed conversations around policing in the wake of the May death of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

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In it, Hoover decried “unprecedented, daily attacks” on policing and the media platforming of “police hate groups,” including Black Lives Matter. He said “cancel culture and mob mentality” are at the core of “anti-police rhetoric.”

In a segment underlined and italicized for emphasis, Hoover wrote that he believes “systemic racism does not exist” in the Calgary Police Service. Police Chief Mark Neufeld acknowledged the existence of systemic racism in the service in July following three days of anti-racism hearings at city council, a stance he has reiterated several times since.

Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld speaks to reporters at City Hall on on Sept. 10, 2020.
Calgary police chief Mark Neufeld speaks to reporters at City Hall on on Sept. 10, 2020. Photo by Brendan Miller/Postmedia

Kay Layton, the leader of Calgary’s Black Lives Matter chapter, called the article “extremely irresponsible,” saying the organization’s support for defunding police and redistributing money to other social services doesn’t make them a hate group against police.

“We’ve never been anti-police. We’ve only been anti-racism and anti-crooked police officers and systemic racism,” Layton said. “We’re fighting against systemic racism and (Hoover) should agree with that. He should be trying to eradicate that from within his institution as well.

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“If he has these views, how is he going to treat a teenage kid who’s wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt? How is he going to treat someone driving down the street who has a BLM sticker on their car?”

Hoover declined an interview request from Postmedia, saying it was not his place to speak publicly on behalf of the Calgary Police Service.

He said his article was meant as encouragement for fellow officers who feel similarly about current narratives surrounding policing and race.

“One thing is certain, I stand by every word that I wrote and know that this article resonates with any person that wears a police uniform to serve the people of their community,” Hoover said in an email.

The magazine is meant as an open forum for officers to share their views, said union president John Orr. He said Hoover is not on the association’s board of directors and submitted his opinion as a member-at-large.

“Members can submit articles with opinions. They don’t always necessarily reflect the opinions of the Calgary Police Association,” Orr said.

Protesters march at a rally calling on politicians to defund the police in downtown Calgary on Aug. 29, 2020.
Protesters march at a rally calling on politicians to defund the police in downtown Calgary on Aug. 29, 2020.  Photo by Darren Makowichuk/Postmedia

“Do I think Black Lives Matter is a hate group? No, I don’t. But what I think the article reflects is the frustration among front-line police officers. It’s a difficult job to begin with and a lot of police officers do feel like they’re being called into question in everything they do and everything that they stand for.

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“I’m certainly proud of the way our members have continued to serve the community in spite of the pressures that they face and the additional pressures that they’ve faced since earlier this year.”

The submission process for the magazine is straightforward, Orr said, with interested writers sending pieces to an editor.

In a statement, Neufeld said that while the Calgary Police Service has no hand in 10-4 magazine, the service “shares in the very real frustrations of our members over the highly negative portrayal of police officers and the police profession” in media.

He said the force does not claim perfection and welcomes public oversight. He added that details on initiatives the service is undertaking on race and other issues were presented to city council in September.

“As outlined in our report to council, we are committed to ongoing anti-racism work and making improvements to the services we provide,” Neufeld said. “Moving forward, we will continue to meaningfully engage our employees and our communities, including interest groups such as Black Lives Matter.”

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Layton disputed Hoover’s claim that systemic racism doesn’t exist in the service, listing his only experiences dealing with officers throughout his life.

He recounted an experience he had as a teenager where he was assaulted by a police officer after leaving a nightclub, ending with him “spitting up blood on the cement.”

“I’ve seen how much this traumatizes us,” he said.

This isn’t the first time Hoover has faced criticism for an article published in the union magazine.

In November 2016, Metro Calgary reported on then-constable Jen Ward calling out Hoover after he penned an article telling officers to “stop whining,” comments that Ward said struck the wrong chord amid discussions of harassment and bullying within the force.

jherring@postmedia.com

Twitter: @jasonfherring

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