Ottawa police say there were “disproportionately more incidents” last year of officers using violence against black, indigenous and Middle Eastern people.

A report for Monday’s Ottawa Police Department’s meeting looks at the use of force by officers during the 220,600 calls for help in 2021.

In 2021, 280 violent incidents were reported, involving 322 people.

“Individuals considered black by officers were used 4.3 times more violence than would be expected based on their proportion of the population,” the report for the board of directors says.

According to data collected by the Ottawa Police Department, Indigenous people were three times more likely to use violence against them, while people from the Middle East were 2.2 times more likely.

“Disproportionate findings reflect longstanding and unresolved systemic racism and related intersectional issues that continue to be found within the justice system, other institutions and our larger society – policing is no different,” the report says. “We need to work together to better understand and eliminate these differences.”

White people were 0.7 times more likely than expected to be involved in violent incidents.

In May, the Ottawa Police Department released its Use of Violence for 2020 report, which found that black people were 4.8 times more likely to use violence against them and people from the Middle East were 2.4 times more likely.

The Ottawa Police Department says the agency is committed to working with police and community members to “reduce the use of force and disproportionate rates.”

In 2020, Ontario’s Anti-Racism Data Standards required police to collect race-based data for several areas, including on the use of reports of violence submitted by officers. Police say the purpose of the data collection requirement is to address systemic concerns about racism and promote equitable services.

The report states that “significant learning modules on human rights and equality, diversity and inclusion” have been introduced to all OPS members in recent years. Part of the training for members in 2021-2022 included anti-indigenous racism and Indigenous cultural awareness, understanding systemic racism from the Human Rights Commission, and anti-black racism learning sessions.