Friday, July 31, 2009

Yesterday at around 2:30 pm (July 30, 2009), I called Summerlea Community Police Station (This is a police station in Edmonton, Alberta). Below is what I can as well with my memory remember discoursed. I do not remember the Constable’s name:

Constable: Constable ______ speaking
Jeff: I would like to report a domestic violence dispute/issue
Constable: Were you involved
Jeff:Yes, I guess
Constable: Is it on going
Jeff: No
Constable: Should I send a dispatch
Jeff: I think my mom has stopped … yelling
Constable: Well, it’s not violence, is it
Jeff: No … It’s not
Constable: Is anyone with you
Jeff: My brother is upstairs
Constable: Did she hit you
Jeff: No but she has done this all my life of 22 years. I am calling right now just to see what I can do about this problem. What can I do
Constable: You can come to the west end police station in person and pick up information on counseling, such as information on family counselling. You have to resolve this issue with counseling. You can’t come to the community station because we have no information
[Teresa starts coming in yelling]
Jeff: Can you her her yelling?
Constable: Yes …
Jeff: She is just unlocking my door right now! I had my door locked. She’s coming in and yelling. Can you hear that?
Constable: Yes I can
[Teresa exits]
Constable: Can she speak English
Jeff: A little bit
Constable: You can’t come calling the police every time your mom yells. I’m not saying that you are doing that, but this problem cannot be resolved by the police
Jeff: Is there anything else I can do
Constable: No
Jeff: Can I charge her for harassment, or assault? Verbal assault?
Constable: No. You can come in get information on counseling. How old are you
Jeff: I’m … 22
Constable: Do you have a job?
Jeff: Not, currently
Constable: How hard is it to get a job
Jeff: I don’t know
Constable: Pfht, are you going to school?
Jeff: No, not right now.
Constable: So you’re sponging off your parents. Why don’t you move out
Jeff: It is hard to get a job that pays well enough that I can pay rent for, and the rent is so high. I called because I wanted to get advice about the problem, because I wasn’t sure what I could do
Constable: So you’re a 22 year old guy, and sponging of your parents. Get a better paying job so you can move out. I have to go.
Jeff: Alright


Is this appropriate conduct? Not to mention a racist remark (Constable: Can she speak English), but she is in no position to judge with such little anecdotal evidence. Her attitude completely changed when I told her I was 22. I thought she was a police officer, not a counselor, and even if she was my counselor, I would ask for my money back. I called the police for advice, not victim blaming. I do not mind telling the details of my life to anyone, but I certainly most definitely mind when they use the same information to humiliate the confider.

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