Windsor's mayor asks community to be 'sensible' as it waits for police chief allegations probe to end

WARNING: This story contains racially offensive language.

Windsor's mayor and police board chair Drew Dilkens is asking for the community to be "sensible enough" to wait for an investigation to finish, into racially derogatory allegations against chief Jason Bellaire, before rushing to judgment.

Last week, CBC News first reported a human rights complaint filed by Windsor police officer Ed Armstrong.

Armstrong accuses Bellaire of making comments to him about Black people and bananas, suggested there is telepathic communication among Black people, and asking him to use his "Black magic" on a local professor to ease her criticism of Windsor police.

In 2020, Armstrong became the service's first Black staff sergeant, and then its first Black inspector the following year.

The allegations, which haven't been proven before the tribunal, took place between March 2023 and February 2024.

Some in Windsor's Black community previously told CBC News the allegations undermine trust with police, and are hurtful and deeply troubling.

"I hope everyone would be sensible enough to wait for all of the allegations to be tested by the trier of fact before they come to a conclusion," Dilkens told CBC News on Monday.

Windsor police board chair Drew Dilkens comments on allegations against police chief Jason Bellaire

3 months ago

Duration 1:26

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens, who's also police board chair, said said he's waiting for the investigating initiated by Ed Armstrong against the Windsor police to finish "to understand what is true, what is fact from the fiction."

Dilkens said he's waiting for the investigation to finish "to understand what is true, what is fact from the fiction."

When asked if he's concerned about the allegations as police board chair, Dilkens said he "sees lawsuits at the city every day."

"I see human rights complaints weekly. We have 3,000 employees and there's always lots going on," said Dilkens.

"At the end of the day I don't get too fussed about these types things until they've gone through a judicial or quasi-judicial process like this one will and when we get to the end we'll be in a much better position to have an intelligent conversation on the topic."

CBC News previously reached out to the Windsor Police Service, which declined to comment.

Armstrong could also not be reached for an interview.