ADAMS: Police Associations Should Stay Out of Politics
Those who enforce the law should not be involved in commentary shaping who makes the law. Ever.
Durham Regional Police Department in Bowmanville. Photo credit: Dialog Design
This week, the Durham Regional Police Association (DRPA) got people talking. Not for community service or a landmark case—but for a social media post. In it, they announced their support for a political party in the upcoming federal election.
In an X post made on April 8th, 2025 at 1:03 PM, the DRPA voiced their opinion on issues that are on the minds of a lot of Canadians; bail reform, repeat violent offenders, and the flow of illegal firearms and drugs trafficking. The post in question featured an official endorsement for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party.
Durham Regional Police Association officially declare endorsement of Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party in the 2025 federal election. Photo credit: @AssociationDRP on X
“The Conservative Party of Canada and Pierre Poilievre have made a pledge to Canadians to deal with issues surrounding changes to bail reform, repeat violent offenders, the flow of illegal handguns, drug trafficking and most importantly hold criminals accountable ensuring the hard work done by Officers and risks to communities are addressed.” The DRPA said.
“His commitment to public safety aligns with the needs of Officers and Police Associations across the country. It is imperative that we protect our communities with legislation that does not limit the effectiveness of the great work done by Officers daily.”
Reading between the lines tells us that the DRPA has, without actually saying it, made a scathing critique of what the right-wing establishment media has dubbed as Trudeau-era bail policies, which law enforcement feels makes their job more difficult.
The problems start from the realization that the DRPA operates in Ontario, with issues such as bail reform, catch and release, and issues of this nature being provincial, not federal. A lot of Canadians will agree that there is a serious issue with repeat offender’s being released into the public and police having to warn the neighbourhood, only to arrest the same individual 2 more times in the span of the same month. However, in blaming the Liberal Party of Canada, a federal party, you take attention away from the fact that this issue is the result of Doug Ford’s provincial government being an incompetent mess, and not the result of Justin Trudeau.
Police Endorsements Undermine Public Trust
Durham Regional Police responding to a call. Photo credit: @Oshawa Emergency Buff on YouTube
No matter which political party you support, police departments and associations doing things like this should concern you. When police organizations take sides in partisan politics, it erodes the already fragile line between law enforcement and democratic governance. Police officers are in a position of power. The badge they wear grants them the power to detain, to arrest, to use lethal force.
That power must always remain nonpartisan. Allowing police associations to officially endorse political candidates blurs the boundary between public servants and the political circus. In a time where trust in law enforcement is already low, you might as well be pouring gasoline onto a bonfire.
Let’s not forget: public trust in policing is damaged in this country. That trust wasn’t just damaged by isolated incidents, but by patterns. Over-policing, systemic discrimination, lack of accountability, and excessive use of force have drawn deserved criticism in the unchecked privilege law enforcement bodies have. In many communities, particularly those that are marginalized, the relationship with police is not one of safety and support but is one of fear and frustration.
Endorsing a political party, regardless of which political party, sends the message that the people with authority on our streets are not just enforcing laws, but choosing sides, and a message like this could very well resonate with the wrong kind of people, and lead to Durham Regional Police’s future staff being there for the wrong reasons.
If we want policing to be fair, unbiased, and in service of all Canadians, not just those aligned with a particular political ideology—we need clear, enforced boundaries. That means legislation barring police organizations from making political endorsements of any kind and demanding more from those who hold immense power in our society.
Raise your voice. Contact your local representatives. Share your concerns. Democracy only works when those who enforce the law are held to it and kept out of the political arena. It’s about time we remind them who they really work for.