A week after emphasizing the importance of addressing racism to the Black Council of Windsor-Essex, Mayor Drew Dilkens exited a discussion session when confronted with inquiries regarding racist statements made by the city’s former police chief.
During a recent virtual event where mayoral candidates were introduced on YouTube, the moderator directly questioned Dilkens about the lack of public acknowledgment or condemnation of racism from the city organization or his office.
In response, Dilkens stated that he takes such matters seriously and reiterated his stance on calling out racism as a top priority.
In the past, an internal investigation confirmed accusations that former Police Chief Jason Bellaire had made racist remarks to a Black officer.
Dilkens, who was part of the Windsor Police Services Board overseeing the disciplinary process, defended the transparency of the board’s actions regarding Bellaire’s case.
Leslie McCurdy, a former chair of the Black Council of Windsor-Essex, criticized Dilkens for his recent statements, calling them insincere and highlighting a lack of meaningful community engagement on the issue.
Drew Dilkens responds to questions about a former police chief’s racist remarks before leaving.
However, the allegations, investigation findings, and subsequent discipline for Bellaire were not publicly disclosed until reported by CBC News based on sourced information.
In the ongoing HRTO process, an external investigator substantiated the allegations against Bellaire, and the Windsor Police Service mandated equity, diversity, and inclusion training for him post-retirement.
Despite criticism from some members of the Black community regarding the adequacy of the disciplinary action, Dilkens declined to elaborate on the decision and redirected the conversation to his campaign.
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