ACT Police have confirmed an internal investigation was underway and have reached out to the local African-Australian community to repair the damage caused by a recent Canberra incident in which the victim believed he was racially profiled and lodged a complaint.
Deputy Chief Police Officer Doug Boudry said this was an opportunity to "strengthen relationships between police and the African community".
On Saturday, police met with representatives from the African Australian Advocacy Centre and the African Australian Council ACT to discuss community concerns after a Canberra man was handcuffed, arrested and his home searched.
The 38-year-old man, who only wished to be identified as "Tuck", had returned from a stint in hospital and was "catching some sun and mentally and physically recuperating" around the pool area of his Narrabundah unit complex around 12.15pm when police arrived and arrested him.
After searching his home and establishing his identity, police "unarrested" him but Tuck said the incident was traumatising and distressing given they had made assumptions that he was in intruder in his own apartment complex.
As a result of discussions, both community members and police agreed that improving representation of African people within the uniformed local ranks, and of the broader federal police, was a shared goal.
Police pledged to work with the community to improve their cultural literacy, including through more regularly scheduled meetings and the identification of training opportunities for police.
Deputy Chief Police Officer Doug Boudry said this meeting was to ensure everyone was able to voice their concerns and be heard.
"This was an opportunity to explain to community the circumstances surrounding this incident, while also hearing and understanding their perspectives," he said.
"While I believe my officers acted appropriately at the time, this is the subject of an internal investigation.
"In hearing the communities' concerns, I am confident we will learn and grow together, and it was particularly beneficial for us to learn more about the perspectives of African Australians when dealing with police."
President of the AACACT Ms Yvette Poudjom Djomani noted that this was the first step in improving the relationships between police and the African community.
"We appreciate ACT Policing reaching out and taking the time to meet with us," Poudjom Djomani said.
"This is a good first step in improving our mutual understanding and relationships.
"We want police and the broader community to understand the diversity of the Africans in Canberra and the positive contributions we make to society."
Chair of the AAAC Noel Yandamutso Zhihabamwe emphasised that it was important to get together, and that this was a productive meeting.
"African people in Australia feel like they are living under a siege of racism," he said.
