KITCHENER -- A community outreach program in Kitchener is now under review, following concerns from Black, Caribbean and African community members.
The COPS program has been around for more than 20 years, giving teens an opportunity to be mentored by police officers, firefighters and other community leaders.
According to a motion at a special council meeting in Kitchener on Monday afternoon, after the Black Lives Matter march in Kitchener at the beginning of June there were calls for changes to the program. Kitchener City Council voted to put it under review.
City staff will look at the program along with previous participants and members of the African, Caribbean and Black community, to see if any improvements can be made.
According to Mayor Berry Vrbanovic, there are concerns from the community that the program is being used to keep surveillance on at risk youth.
“The reality is that’s farthest from the truth,” Vrbanovic tells CTV News in an interview. “The majority of the people who where there as mentors were there on a volunteer basis, and we have no knowledge of that being the case in any circumstances.”
Staff has to report back to council with their findings by the end of January 2021.
The program is currently not running due to COVID-19 Public Health guidelines.
With reporting from Jeff Pickel
