In recent years, government bodies and advocacy groups in Toronto have validated what Black advocates have long highlighted: predominantly Black communities are over-policed. Yet there is another truth, voiced by many within these communities, that often goes unheard and unresearched—some Black residents affirm that their neighbourhoods are in fact under-policed. While these perspectives may seem contradictory, both are rooted in the reality of how policing operates within Black communities. At the heart of these concerns is an urgent need for a reliable and trusted police presence that genuinely provides safety.

Over-policing in Black neighbourhoods materializes in distinct ways. Often it translates to disproportionate levels of police surveillance, frequent and unjustified interrogation, and excessive aggression during police interactions with Black people. We know this to be true. In fact, in December 2023, the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s report, From Impact to Action, unpacked these realities in further detail. Overall, the report underscores how anti-Black racism is entrenched in the Toronto Police Service’s (TPS) policies and practices, resulting in major disparities across carding, the use of force, and strip searches.

How entrenched? Between 2008 and 2013, Black people represented 25 per cent of individuals carded, despite making up roughly 8 percent of the population. Disturbingly, Black individuals were overrepresented in carding data regardless of neighborhood crime rates and were carded more in low-crime, predominantly white areas. Although in 2017, Ontario implemented carding restrictions, disparities remained after this period. Following the implementation of these restrictions, surveys indicated that Black respondents were still 17 per cent more likely to report being stopped by police in comparison to those of other racialized groups. And beyond carding, in 2020, Black people—who made up only 10.2 per cent of Toronto’s population—accounted for 31 per cent of all strip searches and 39 per cent of use-of-force incidents.

Because the Black experience is not monolithic, Black people are also under-policed, meaning some Black neighbourhoods and people experience neglect when it comes to safety and emergency police response. In these cases, emergency calls may go unanswered, responses might be significantly delayed, and issues reported may go unaddressed. Ultimately this erodes trust, as the experiences of abandonment leave them to fend for themselves and rely on self-organized preparations and responses in the face of inadequate institutional support. Though these experiences are valid and widely felt, it is a topic that has not been widely researched.

Indeed, it might seem impossible that Black communities can simultaneously be over-policed and under-policed. However, over-policing and under-policing are not mutually exclusive. A Black person might live in an area with heavy police presence, where officers disproportionately target residents, yet still face extensive wait times when calling for assistance or see police only sporadically respond to serious incidents. These contrasting experiences both reinforce feelings of distrust, neglect, and insecurity, pushing residents towards self-reliance instead of institutional support.

For some, this raises the question: What do Black communities want from policing? The answer is not conflicting; it is a call for safety and security. Instead, what many Black neighbourhoods experience is scrutiny and surveillance.

Addressing these dual needs for accountability and protection requires more than promises of improved police practices. While TPS has indicated that reforms are underway, true safety relies on officers who are well-trained, emotionally intelligent, and committed to building trust. It also goes beyond physical safety, encompassing the psychological and emotional wellbeing of these communities—considerations often cast to the wayside. As such, equally important are alternative community crisis services and community crisis response programs that the City is building up in addition to private and public sector resources to empower communities to support their wellbeing, because they should not have to bear this burden alone. To achieve this, a balanced, community-centered approach that prioritizes trust, accountability, and active support is the only way forward.