Police officers won’t be wearing their uniforms during Victoria’s Pride Parade this year.
It was announced on Tuesday that The Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee (GVPDAC), alongside the Victoria Pride Society (VPS) have come to an agreement that only non-uniformed police officers are allowed to participate.
According to a news release from the GVPDAC, this is the result of an ongoing conversation in which they heard concerns from members of marginalized communities about their participation in the event.
“In the spirit of GVPDAC’s goals, we’ve worked together with VPS to find a solution that allows us to show support for those we serve and work alongside that will also work to meet the needs of all,” said the release.
The issue of whether police should be allowed to wear their uniforms in Pride parades has been raised in a variety of cities across Canada. Similar decisions to allow non-uniformed officers to walk have been made in places like Toronto, Regina, and Saskatoon to mixed reactions.
The GVPDAC are hoping that this decision is a “step towards fostering trust, improving communication, and building mutual understanding between our officers and staff and LGBTQ2S+ members of the Greater Victoria community we serve.”
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