Kitchener city council votes to pause and review Community Outreach Program

The City of Kitchener's Community Outreach Program, which pairs youth from low-income areas with mentors such as police and firefighters, has been put on hold after activists raised concerns, callingthe program is a form of police surveillance.

The decision was passed by city council on Monday afternoon through a motion introduced byCoun. Margaret Johnston and Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.

The motion said after this month's Black Lives Matter march in Kitchener, "concerns have been raised about the programfrom cross-section of residents."

The motion also stated the Community Outreach Program Summer, also known as COPS,"will be paused in 2020 due to COVID-related public health restrictions."

Youth between 11 and 15 from Centreville Chicopee, Kingsdale and Mill-Courtland neighbourhoodsare normally invited to participate in COPS.

The program will be reviewed over the next several months and a report from city staffis due back by January 2021.

'Marginalized Black youth'

Kathy Hogarth, an associate professor in the school of social work at the University of Waterloo who studies race and inclusion, applauds the move to review the program.

"I think one of the ways this program has been used has further marginalized Black youth," said Hogarth. "Without evaluation of the efficiency or effectiveness, the question remains, 'Who is this serving'?"

"Let's take a step back, assess what's worked, for whom has it worked well and what hasn't worked well and how can we move toward a better society for all our kids."

Vrbanovic, who helped found the program back in the late 90s, says the program hasprovided mentorship for more than 1,300 youth.

The program was introduced at the Centreville Chicopee Community Centre in response tofights, violence and a loaded handgun incident, according toVrbanovic.

But he says now is a good time to take a closer look at COPS.

"In light of some of the concerns we've heard from the African, Caribbean and Black community, where the program may not be seen as welcoming to some as it is for others, we saw this was a good idea to do a review of the program and understand what the issues and concerns were," he said.