Sudbury police host Truth and Reconciliation Relay

As part of the calls to action, Greater Sudbury Police Service launched a three-part initiative related to Truth and Reconciliation.

The first part involved taking a Truth and Reconciliation course, followed by members of the police service reading all the calls to action.

Finally, during the month of September, police will be embarking on a Relay for Reconciliation.

From Sept. 1-30, more than a hundred members of the Greater Sudbury Police will be logging their daily kilometres each day, with a goal of completing 10,000 kilometres, one kilometre per child that never returned home from Canadian residential schools.

“We kind of went back and forth wondering if we were going to do 10,000," said Const. Anik Dennie.

“The truth is, we’re never going to know how many unmarked graves there are, and the unmarked graves will never take into account the kids that ran away from residential schools and their bodies will never be found. It also doesn’t take into consideration the kids that did make it through residential schools and went back home and they just had so much trauma."

Dennie said participating police are doing the relay for a variety of different reasons, from educating themselves to raising awareness, to healing.

“For some people, they have grandparents that went to residential schools or parents that went to Indian day schools or parents that were involved in the '60s day scoop," she said.

"So, for some people it’s getting to know more and for some people I’ve heard it’s part of their healing journey."

Members have the option of logging their kilometres however way they wish, running or walking, indoors or outdoors.

The Indigenous liaison officer Darrell Rivers said he will be biking 160 kilometres and said he wants to bring more awareness.

“The importance of this to me is to help raise awareness to calls to action, to residential schools, to help other officers who are curious who want to know," said Rivers.

"I have pledged to do 160 kilometres for the entire month. So, I’ll be biking to and from work."

Those spearheading the initiative said are hoping to make it an annual event.