Black Cop: My 36 years in police work, and my career ending experiences with official racism

by Calvin Lawrence, Miles Howe (With)

When Calvin Lawrence joined the Halifax City Police in 1969, he thought he knew what to expect. There was growing tension in the city between the black community and the police, and Calvin believed that as a black police officer he would be able to make a difference. But what he didn't know was that he was embarking on a life-long career in which he would consistently be the target of racist behaviour — from his co-workers and his superiors, and from police organizations as a whole. Calvin describes how he was the target of racial slurs, mocked for being black, pigeonholed into roles, and denied advancement because he was not white. After 36 years in law enforcement, Calvin retired early from the police, suffering from clinical depression and with a settlement from the RCMP after winning a Human Rights complaint. Calvin holds nothing back as he reflects on a career that took him across the country — he shares his experiences as Newfoundland's only black police officer, his undercover stints in Edmonton and Toronto, and his time in Ottawa protecting major world leaders like Jimmy Carter and Brian Mulroney. Calvin Lawrence's story lays bare the key failures of Canadian police organizations that operate on the basis that only white Canadians are entitled to the rights promised to all by the rule of law and the Canadian Charter of Rights.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

272 pages, Paperback

Published September 17, 2019

Reviews

[Christopher Morry · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 out of 5 starsA chilling reminder of continuing systemic racism in Canadian policing
September 16, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I met Cal Lawrence less than a decade ago, after the events he reports in his new book had taken their devastating toll on his life. But I have to say I never really appreciated until I read his book today the extent of the pervasive, systemic racism in Canadian police forces (notably the Halifax Police and the RCMP). As a "white European" male, my eyes have truly been opened and I hope that will be the case for many more Canadians and readers around the world.

Though I have met with Cal and chatted about his experiences on numerous occasions over the last decade, the fact that the revelations in his book proved shocking to me reveals much about this man's inner strength, his forgiving nature and his steadfast refusal to let the bastards wear you down and ruin your life. He does not blame his fellow Canadians in general, but rather the institutional racism that was and is endemic to paramilitary groups like the RCMP. Even so, the rest of us share in the blame for this reality if we continue to stand by in silence and not do our part to correct these wrongs.

On a personal note, I would add that even as a person who has suffered from dyslexia all his life, I could not put the book down and managed to read every word in the 272 pages in half a day! A testament both to how well this story is written and how compelling and timely the core messages are.

[Wendy Shatner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides the reader with an in-depth revelation of what systemic racism in two police forces tried to do to one man who had the strength and fortitude to believe that his contribution to Canadian society was all important. Calvin’s honesty and evidence throughout the book speaks for itself.
The manner in which it is written allows the reader to gain an inside understanding of what racism is, something that many of us have no idea how it could/does affect a person’s day-to-day life. It is a page turner that has many lessons for everyone to learn. It provides the reader with an opportunity for self-examination.
This is an important book for Black Canadian people to read with pride. It demonstrates that an unjust system is meant to be challenged and that when it is necessary to seek the required support to fight back.
Bravo to Mr. Laurence and Mr. Howe

[Herbert Gamberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique and wonderful book. What is unique is the chronological presentation of a black life through the complex, insidious, and often unspoken experience of institutionalized racism. And this is a cop's life demonstrating the racism within the police force and the RCMP, and the racism of the so-called law enforcement activities in their engagement with the black population at large. What is wonderful about this book is its writing style, one that blends everyday realism with larger connections to public institutions. The writing is also in believable vernacular as this one cop creates a realism that transcends the simple naturalism of some memoirs. This creates sympathy for a life of everyday racism along with implied demands for fundamental societal change.

[Jim Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal. The systemic racism in the RCMP is unbelievable. This, from a 36 year veteran of the Halifax police and the RCMP. Full review: "an enlightening and persuasive read." My review of "Black Cop" by Calvin Lawrence, published by James Lorimer & Company. bit.ly/BlackCopReview

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

"... the defining emotion of the black experience is anger. Lack of opportunity and racially motivated insults, whether covert or overt, were part of being an African Nova Scotian. We were expected to know our place and not strive to get ahead."

A friend suggested I read this book to help me to understand systemic racism and an example of the consequences. Some of its origins in Canada. How it works. How it is perpetrated. Who thrives with white supremacy and who stagnates and declines. Wow! Thank you, Angel.

This book reads like you are in the room with Calvin, listening to his story, sharing his emotions, and experience. You feel his pride, his anger, his disappointments, his confusion, his sadness, his gratitude, his disillusionment. All the emotions. His soaring ups and his rock-bottom lows.

Thank you, Mr. Lawrence, for bravely sharing your story with the world. Thank you for putting a face on the effects of systemic racism. During your prime, you gave your best to Canada, literally put your life on the line for us, and Canada did not return the favour. You think Canada has a shameful past? Well, we have not learned the lessons of that past. What will I do -- going forward? I strive to understand and follow where the path leads me.