OHRC comments on racial profiling case

The Ontario Human Rights Commission has delivered a submission to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director in their review of Ontario Provincial Police practices for obtaining voluntary DNA samples.

The review stems from a Justicia for Migrant Workers complaint that was filed with the OIPRD relating to the OPP investigation into a violent sexual assault to a Vienna area woman that occurred on Oct. 19, 2013.

A then 36-year-old Trinidadian migrant farm worker was arrested and charged a few weeks later after what OPP officials called an “exhaustive” investigation that involved sampling the DNA of about 100 black migrant farm workers that were living on five East Elgin and Tillsonburg area farms.

The accused was convicted on June 9 of sexual assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and uttering death threats and received seven year prison sentence.

A media release issued by the OHRC said they are “troubled” by allegations that the OPP engaged in racial profiling.