Edmonton Police Association

53°33′38.5812″N 113°33′58.8564″W

Edmonton Police Association
The E.P.A. headquarters in Huff Bremner Estate
Alternative namesEdmonton Police Union
General information
Address14220 112 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5M 2T8
Coordinates53°33′38.3754″N 113°33′58.9242″W
Inaugurated1919
Website
https://theepa.ca/

The Edmonton Police Association (E.P.A.) is a labour union in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada that represents members of the Edmonton Police Service.[1][2]

History

Early history

The Edmonton Police Force was founded in 1892; however, it was not until 1919 that the Edmonton Policeman's Association, Local No. 74 was organized under the Edmonton Trades and Labour Council.[3][4]

20th Century

In the early twentieth century, the Edmonton Police Association was led by Philip Primrose, formerly the fifth Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, who subsequently served as Chairman of the Edmonton Police Association from 1915 until 1935.[5] In the mid twentieth century, the Edmonton Police Association was discussed in several Canadian news publications for voicing support for capital punishment in Canada.[6][7] Although capital punishment was de facto abolished in Canada in January 1963, the Edmonton Police Association continued to voice support for capital punishment in the 1960s; for example, in 1965, the Vancouver Province reported that "Sgt. S. L. Stevens, president of the Edmonton Police Association told reporters [that] police rejected the alternative of life imprisonment 'because we've had ample opportunity to see that life imprisonment in this country doesn't mean what it says.'"[7]

In 2017, the Edmonton Police Association published an open letter to the city of Edmonton defending stop and search tactics.[8] CBC news stated that the letter was written "in response to recent data obtained by CBC Edmonton showing Edmonton police from 2012 to 2016 disproportionately stopped, questioned and documented people of colour who were not suspected of a crime."[8]

2021 flag incident

In 2021, the Edmonton Police Association drew the attention of news sources throughout Canada following their decision to fly a thin blue line flag on their building.[9][10][11] The flag was seen at the union headquarters throughout April and May 2021, including on the day that Derek Chauvin was found guilty (20 April), as well as on the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd (5 May), at which time the flag was lowered to half-mast.[11] Winnipeg CityNews reported that some "viewed the thin blue line being lowered [...] as a show of support for the officer convicted in Floyd's murder."[11] EPA president Sgt. Mike Elliot responded by saying "that hurts in the fact that somebody would think that. It has nothing to do with George Floyd."[12]

See also

References
  1. "We Don't Want Politics In Our Police Commission". The Edmonton Journal. February 25, 1965. p. 6.
  2. Amato, Sean (February 23, 2022). "Sohi defends controversial private council meeting with police commissioners". CTV News Edmonton. Retrieved February 24, 2022.
  3. "History". Edmonton Police Association. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  4. "Edmonton Police Union". Ottawa Citizen. March 22, 1919. p. 13.
  5. "Governor of Alberta Dead At 73". Windsor Daily Star. March 17, 1937. p. 10.
  6. "Negative defense of capital punishment". The Globe and Mail. August 20, 1965. p. 6.
  7. "Police Would Retain Noose". The Province. August 19, 1965. p. 6.
  8. Huncar, Andrea (July 5, 2017). "Edmonton Police Association defends street checks". CBC News.
  9. Junker, Anna (May 27, 2021). "Flag a Symbol of Solidarity, Police Association Says". Edmonton Journal. p. A2.
  10. Johnston, Janice (December 23, 2021). "Coping with COVID-19: Edmonton police chief looks back at 2021". CBC News. Archived from the original on February 7, 2022.
  11. Robinson, Carly (May 27, 2021). "Thin blue line flag at Edmonton Police Association ruffling feathers". Winnipeg City News. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  12. "Thin blue line flag at Edmonton Police Association ruffling feathers". www.mymcmurray.com. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
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