The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is helping the city’s growing multicultural communities understand the role of police with a handbook that is available in 16 languages.

The Handbook for Strengthening Harmony Between Communities and the Edmonton Police Service was created to help members of Edmonton’s diverse communities understand the role of police, explains what to expect if approached by police, and provides information on how to access police services. It also explains the rights and responsibilities of both community members and police officers.

The handbook was created in collaboration between the Alliance Jeunesse-Famille de L’Alberta Society (AJFAS) and the Edmonton Police Service in February 2011. After receiving feedback from the community and police, it was decided that the accessibility of the handbook would be increased if it was available in the languages of our city’s growing multicultural communities. With the translation services of The Family Centre and the Translation Bureau, and funding from the Edmonton Police Foundation and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the handbook is now available in 16 languages.

The Handbook for Strengthening Harmony Between Communities and the Edmonton Police Service is unique and was recently recognized by the UNESCO Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination as a “promising tool for the future.”