Edmonton Police Association President Curtis Hoople said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s statements about the officer-involved shooting that led to resident Mathios Arkangelo’s death are disappointing, reckless, and irresponsible. By making these statements, Hoople said Sohi will “undermine the professionalism and sacrifice of the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep this city safe.” “Mayor Sohi, you should know better than to stoke public mistrust for political gain,” said Hoople in a letter to Sohi. “Your comments suggest a blatant disregard for the established processes that hold police officers accountable, implying that our officers act without oversight or consequence.”.Hoople said the constant barrage of public scrutiny Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers face is exhausting, and Sohi’s remarks serve to deepen the divide between it and the community instead of fostering unity and understanding. Rather than speak out, he called for him to stay in his lane. He added he should have the decency to let the professionals who are trained to investigate and enforce the law do their jobs. If Hoople were to take to social media every time a politician failed to meet people’s expectations, he predicted he and Sohi would be having a different conversation about accountability. Instead, he said he trusts the process, which he suggested he start doing. Hoople concluded by encouraging Sohi “to meet with me so we can have a real conversation about this — something that should have been done to seek clarity prior to making such public statements.” “You owe it to the citizens you serve to lead responsibly, and that includes showing respect for the men and women who protect this city every day, without playing politics at their expense,” he said. Sohi had said in the past two months, he has heard from black people about the grief, anger, and fear they are feeling because of the EPS shooting against Arkangelo.“My heart goes out to his family, friends and community as they deal with this unbearable loss,” he said. “Today, I met with the Edmonton Police Commission to share what I have heard from the community and discuss how my office and EPC can work together to respond to these concerns, and to advance our collective work to address anti-black racism.”.Sohi followed up by saying it is important the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team conducts a full, thorough investigation into the circumstances around Arkangelo’s death and that it is as transparent and prompt as possible. “A prompt and thorough investigation is in the best interest of the family, community, and EPS, as it will address the questions and concerns raised by this incident,” he said. Arkangelo was killed in June after he was shot by an EPS officer during a confrontation in northeastern Edmonton.
Edmonton Police Association President Curtis Hoople said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s statements about the officer-involved shooting that led to resident Mathios Arkangelo’s death are disappointing, reckless, and irresponsible. By making these statements, Hoople said Sohi will “undermine the professionalism and sacrifice of the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep this city safe.” “Mayor Sohi, you should know better than to stoke public mistrust for political gain,” said Hoople in a letter to Sohi. “Your comments suggest a blatant disregard for the established processes that hold police officers accountable, implying that our officers act without oversight or consequence.”.Hoople said the constant barrage of public scrutiny Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers face is exhausting, and Sohi’s remarks serve to deepen the divide between it and the community instead of fostering unity and understanding. Rather than speak out, he called for him to stay in his lane. He added he should have the decency to let the professionals who are trained to investigate and enforce the law do their jobs. If Hoople were to take to social media every time a politician failed to meet people’s expectations, he predicted he and Sohi would be having a different conversation about accountability. Instead, he said he trusts the process, which he suggested he start doing. Hoople concluded by encouraging Sohi “to meet with me so we can have a real conversation about this — something that should have been done to seek clarity prior to making such public statements.” “You owe it to the citizens you serve to lead responsibly, and that includes showing respect for the men and women who protect this city every day, without playing politics at their expense,” he said. Sohi had said in the past two months, he has heard from black people about the grief, anger, and fear they are feeling because of the EPS shooting against Arkangelo.“My heart goes out to his family, friends and community as they deal with this unbearable loss,” he said. “Today, I met with the Edmonton Police Commission to share what I have heard from the community and discuss how my office and EPC can work together to respond to these concerns, and to advance our collective work to address anti-black racism.”.Sohi followed up by saying it is important the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team conducts a full, thorough investigation into the circumstances around Arkangelo’s death and that it is as transparent and prompt as possible. “A prompt and thorough investigation is in the best interest of the family, community, and EPS, as it will address the questions and concerns raised by this incident,” he said. Arkangelo was killed in June after he was shot by an EPS officer during a confrontation in northeastern Edmonton.
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