Canada- Toronto transgender people say they're targets of police

[SandraJane]

Toronto transgender people say they're targets of police


Police say policies have changed to better reflect human rights


by Priya Sankaran, CBC News | Posted: Jun 28, 2012 6:05 AM ET | Last Updated: Jun 28, 2012 11:52 AM ET


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/06/26/toronto-transgender-police.html



Susan Gapka said she's been detained or searched by Toronto police a few times in her decade as a woman. (CBC)


Toronto police say they are working to improve their relationship with the city's transgender community, even as some transgender people say they're being targeted by officers.

"The policy itself requires that interactions with transgender-transsexual people will take full account of their human rights," said Alok Mukerjee, the chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. "And give them the same respectful treatment as anybody else."

In turn, people in the transgender community say they're still stigmatized and often mistaken for prostitutes.