African Heritage Month is an ideal time to reflect on and celebrate the diversity of our community, and a perfect opportunity to introduce our new diversity equity officer, Constable Shaun Carvery.
Carvery has been a police officer for 11 years, working first on patrol and more recently as a school officer. He became our diversity equity officer just a few short weeks ago, a role he hopes will enable him to serve as a liaison between HRM’s diverse communities and the police service.
“After working in schools, I came to realize that there’s much diversity in HRM and those diverse communities have a completely different set of beliefs and opinions about the police and what it is we actually do,” he says. “I acknowledge there are some communities’ customs and beliefs that I and my fellow officers may not be aware of which, if we were aware, would allow us to perform our duties in a way that better serves our diverse communities.” He hopes his work will make the police service and our officers more aware about our diverse communities and their needs.
Carvery also wants to give diverse communities a voice.
“I recognize there are still marginalized communities within HRM that don’t have a voice when it comes to dealing with police. During my tenure as diversity equity officer, I hope to bring a voice to those who have felt they don’t have anyone to talk with when relating to police issues and bring that information back to police officers so we’re providing the best service possible.”
How will he do this? He wants to be as visible as possible at different events within different communities and keep his fellow employees informed about what’s going on in the community. This will help ensure good representation from Halifax Regional Police at events to show we care and are willing to work with everyone in our community.
It’s important that the police confront diversity issues openly and are willing to learn and grow together. We encourage everyone in our community to do the same.
Carvery wants people to call him with ideas around diversity and equity, and how we can work more closely with our diverse communities. He can be reached at 430-4782 or carvers@halifax.ca.
