Review of Calgary Police Service Recommends Removal of Religious Iconography

Leslie Rosenblood

In the June 2023 edition of Critical Links, we shared with you the experience of “Bob,” a Sergeant within the Calgary Police Service, who launched a formal complaint with the Alberta Human Rights Commission for “Christian-default” workplace at the CPS. While his case is still pending, the recommendations of a CPS internal review call for a more religiously neutral (that is, secular) environment.

In September 2022, Global News published an expose about the Calgary Police Service contracting with a fraudulent practitioner to provide mental health services to CPS members. This led to an internal CPS review, which was published in June 2023.

Most of the review concerns CPS’ dealings with the College of Certified Psychophysiologists, and how to prevent a recurrence. However, there are two aspects of the report that are relevant to Bob’s complaint against the CPS. In the Summary of Findings section, the report notes that “in the absence of appropriate policy and documentation outlining their mandate and scope of practice, aspects of the members continue to associate this [Chaplaincy] service with negative connotations of religious and historical origins.” 

The last of the report’s nine recommendations also directly addresses chaplaincy services and foisting Christianity upon CPS members. It is worth quoting in full.

“Throughout the review process, some members noted that although the Chaplaincy Services have been a positive resource within the service, the program and its respective space remain associated with organized religion, in a fashion that may not be welcomed by all. This is reportedly further perpetuated by various affiliations CPS leadership had allegedly historically held. To ensure Chaplaincy Services remains free of unwanted or inappropriate religious content and context, the following recommendations are offered for consideration:  

a. Create Chaplaincy Services documentation which defines the term Chaplaincy and their scope of practice,  

b. Given the historical associations to the church and ongoing misconceptions held by some of the membership regarding the nature of Chaplaincy services, the program should specifically speak to non-denominational practice and how it is aligned with Equity, Diversity and Inclusion practices and policies; 

c. Minimize and/or remove any outward-facing religious iconography within CPS spaces, including in the Constable Arthur Duncan Memorial Hall, and; 

d. Discontinue hosting religious ceremonies within CPS spaces.”

A summary of the report released by the Calgary Police Commission states, “We fully accept the recommendations of both the workplace investigation and the latest review, and we expect the Service to implement them.” Though not mentioned specifically in the review, the Calgary Police Service should take this opportunity to reinstate its previous policy of religious neutrality in the workplace (or craft a new one).