Who are the Hamilton police liaison officers working at protests?

Hamilton police rolled out a new liaison officer program earlier this year - a team of specially trained officers meant to open up dialogue with protesters at everything from blockades to labour demonstrations.

The plain-clothed officers have been attending the ongoing demonstrations in the forecourt of city hall, where protesters have been calling for police funding to be reallocated to housing.

They go up and introduce themselves as police officers, working in a liaison capacity," explained acting Staff Sgt. Jonathan Curtis, one of the officers who has attended the protests that began Monday.

Many demonstrations are well-organized, so the team will ask to speak with a representative of the group, he said. The idea is to talk about what goals the group has, offer any education about laws or what to expect from police or bylaw on-site, and exchange contact information.

Things we don't do: we don't make arrests, we're not involved in enforcement," he said. It's also not the officers job to do surveillance - that work is done by other police.

The Provincial Liaison Team (PLT) came out of recommendations from the Ipperwash Inquiry to enhance communication between police and Indigenous communities. They have been used by RCMP and OPP with Indigenous demonstrators.

What we're looking to do is be proactive, building relationships before there is a crisis ... build trust and understanding," said deputy chief Ryan Diodati.

The events of Pride 2019, where there was a violent clash between homophobic disrupters and Pride defenders, was part of why Hamilton police decided they should create a liaison team. An independent review found the police response inadequate, including for failing to properly meet and plan with Pride organizers before the event.

We identified a gap where we thought we could better engage with all stakeholders," he said, adding that the liaison officers work closely with crime managers.

We are listening and learning ... we know through events such as pride there were gaps," he said.

In Hamilton, several officers were trained in the liaison program by the OPP in 2019. In a soft roll-out," they first deployed at the Wet'suwet'en solidarity demonstration that blocked rail traffic near York Boulevard last February.

In that case, Curtis said the officers spoke with demonstrators and told them that an injunction was coming. But the injunction was served by CN Rail.

Similarly, he said the liaison officers at the ongoing city hall demonstration told organizers that bylaw would be coming with notices to remove tents, but the actual notices were taped on tents by bylaw officers.

In March, Hamilton police hosted a PLT training session for officers from Hamilton, Toronto and York. The two-week program featured officers from RCMP and OPP, but also included civilian speakers.

In all, Hamilton now has 15 officers trained and the program is considered permanent. The officers do not work full-time on the liaison team, but are called in as needed. About six of the officers have also undergone Indigenous awareness training.

Police were looking for the right kind of personality in the officers; men and women who are good listeners, empathetic, Curtis said.

This summer, they worked at various Black Lives Matter protests in the city.

Curtis said the liaison officers got to the point where they were getting calls notifying them of the marches several weeks before. Through dialogue, police were able to scale back the police presence to just include traffic officers blocking roads for safety and the liaison officers.

Outside city hall, the defund the police protesters have criticized police for being heavy-handed. Photos and video posted on social media have included images of the liaison officers speaking with organizers. Several people have been charged or ticketed for pandemic-related offences.

Hamilton police say they have had more officers at other recent demonstrations, including at an anti-mask rally earlier this month. Under current pandemic rules, outdoor events, including protests, are limited to 25 people. Hamilton bylaw has ordered all tents removed by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com