'Not about the RNC:' Deputy chief says police will walk without uniforms at Pride parade

A request that off-duty officers not wear uniforms if they plan to walk in the coming Pride Parade in St. John's has not damaged the RNC's relationship with Pride, according to the deputy chief of the force. 

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary's Jim Carroll said at a flag-raising ceremony Tuesday that the force will respect the parade committee's decision and ask their officers not to walk in working uniform.

• St. John's Pride Parade asks for police officers not to walk in uniform
• St. John's Pride made wrong call on excluding uniformed cops, ex-president says

"We are still part of this community, and we will continue to embrace and support and work with [them]," he said.

"From our perspective, this is about Pride; it isn't about the RNC."

Carrol said officers were a bit surprised by the request, but understand there's "heightened sensitivity" after the tragedies in Orlando and protests in Toronto.

"We as an organization have to respect that," he said. 

He said the RNC may meet with Pride organizers after the week's events, but would for now focus on the coming days.

"This is all about celebrating the diversity and the respect that we need to move forward with," he said.

Dividing dispute

Pride celebrations kicked off in St. John's this week, but swirling questions over police participation at the yearly parade have been clouding the conversation in the capital city.

Members of the LGBT community have been divided over a the presence of police uniforms at the march planned for Sunday, according to Taylor Stocks, a representative on the St. John's Accessibility and Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Over the weekend, Pride organizers said they asked off-duty RNC officers who wanted to walk in the parade to do so wearing something other than their policing uniforms.

"I think that there is a struggle between the two different types of inclusion," Stocks said shortly after the Pride flag was raised at city hall in St. John's Tuesday morning. 

"Including everyone, and... including groups of people who have been historically disenfranchised."

Stocks agrees some people feel uncomfortable or even fearful of police presence, and the St. John's Pride committee were trying their best to take a stance on a "very difficult issue."

Flag raising

8 years ago

Duration 0:50

The pride flag was raised at St. John's City Hall Tuesday.

Need for consultation

Stocks said the dispute is a sign of a growing community without the proper avenues for conversation, and that the community should work on finding an avenue for consultation on big decisions.

"Really, we're not having these conversations as they are happening," they said. "It's not until we reach a point of crisis that we realize there's such a big divide." 

Members of the St. John's Pride committee have so far refused to comment further on their request to police officers.

When approached by CBC News on Tuesday, board representatives said they had a good relationship with the RNC, and emphasized it was a request, not a demand.

St. John's Pride Co-Chair of Finance and Sponsorship Kimberly Drisdelle later added, "I think it's insulting that we're more focused on this than on the events."

Divided, when we should be uniting: mayor

St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe said on Tuesday that the request was dividing members of the LGBT community at a time when it should be pulling together.

"In order to go forward, we all need to be unified," he said. "We're celebrating inclusiveness, we're celebrating [the fact that we are] celebrating each other."

 "We shouldn't be identifying who or whom may not be able to attend the parade, or how they may be dressed. That's not what inclusiveness is all about."

• RNC officer disappointed at St. John's Pride request not to walk in uniform

O'Keefe also told CBC that the spirit of the Pride celebrations will not be sidetracked by the temporary issue. 

Flags raised on Tuesday

Tuesday saw the rainbow Pride and transgender flags raised at St. John's City Hall and Confederation Building.

O'Keefe pointed to the still-standing posters commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel. He said the odds were some of the men that died in that battle were gay or queer themselves, and we should celebrate how far we've come as a society.

"A totally inclusive society, a society of men, women, and children that work together, live together, and love together. That's what these people died for."

Stocks agreed that the city has progressed, pointing towards the addition of gender neutral bathrooms in city buildings, but said there was more left to go.

"It's definitely been an interesting couple of days, and I think what we've seen is the struggle that we have as a community to talk about really important issues while still maintaining the safety and protection of all people," Stocks added, in a formal speech at the flag raising.