Pan-Am Games Civics Lab

It occurs to me that, with the Pan-Am -Games coming up, you -have a prime opportunity to do some hands-on learning about Toronto civics and -policing. (Those of you who did this lab during the G20 summit are excused. If -you are already at risk of police harassment, you are excused. If you've never -been stopped by a cop in your life, this exercise will determine 70% of your -grade.)

Your assignment: do some things that are completely within your rights and -harmless to others.

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Dress in lower-middle class drag. Put away the props and costumes of - authority: no suits, no loafers. Jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, jackets are all - in: things chosen as much for their wearability and anonymity as for their - looks. Break them in, if you can; you'll visibly break character if - everything is shop new.
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Keep quiet. Tell your family where you're going - for safety - but not - social media. If you have an assistant, tell him you're going out, but not - where you're going. Make it as hard as possible for anyone to connect you to - any authority or celebrity your day job gives you.
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Get a camera. The more visible, the better; you can rent one from Vistek for - a totally achievable number of dollars. Get a strap, too; carrying a camera - by hand is tiring.
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Go alone.
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Take a long, slow stroll along the Pan-Am Games' security perimeter.
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You will absolutely be stopped by the police Integrated Security Unit, either -through a Toronto officer or an RCMP officer. Remember, you are entirely within -your rights to be there, with a camera, walking. (You'll need the camera to put -yourself on the radar: if you're white, the police will largely ignore you. -Taking pictures is optional, but a lot of fun.)

It's important that you do this without the trappings of authority and -without witnesses. Be powerless. Put yourself at the mercy of the police you -enabled. Experience an unjustified police stop as someone who has no immediate -recourse.

That experience is no fun. It's in turns demeaning, terrifying, embarassing, -and disempowering. For some Torontonians, this is a daily -event.

Then come back and talk to me about the Toronto Police Service's carding -program.

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Pan-Am Games Civics Lab