Monique Rapchuk, a Métis woman, is seeking a formal complaint against the Regina Police Service after what she believes to be a racial profiling incident.

Monique Rapchuk was waiting for the light to turn green on Albert Street when a police officer turned on his siren and pulled Rapchuk over.

“He asked for my license, I asked what I was being pulled over for, and he came up with some excuse about the permit on the car,” Rapchuk said.

For Rapchuk, the encounter was frustrating, because she felt as though the officer had created an excuse for pulling her over and wasn’t honest with her.

Rapchuk said the vehicle she was driving wasn’t the nicest car, and she was a lone occupant who is Métis.

The vehicle Rapchuk drove belonged to her daughter, an Indigenous woman.

“When he ran that plate, he would have seen my daughter,” Rapchuk said. “She is 27 years old, and she is Aboriginal.”

Rapchuk said her experience with the officer is something her daughter worries about.

“She fears all the time,” she said. “She tries to be so cautious on the road because she doesn’t want to be pulled over.”

For Rapchuk, she worries about herself, but her daughter most of all.

“She’s already a target. Men are constantly following her, catcalling her, asking if she needs a ride. Cops are constantly behind her car.”

However, Elizabeth Popowich, the communications director at the Regina Police Service, said that the information that is obtained when running the license plate of a vehicle doesn’t include the person’s race or a photo of them.

She said the police service does hundreds of traffic stops every week as a way to combat firearms, drugs, and impaired drivers.

“A traffic stop is an oft-used, legal procedure in policing, and it has real benefits in terms of public safety, even if it’s simply to ensure that the driver of the vehicle has a valid driver’s license and registration documents.” Popowich said.

An early morning traffic stop in Regina on the weekend has led to a number of drug and weapons charges. #Sask https://t.co/5Bjc8PoVxn

— MBC News (@MBCRadioNews) January 21, 2019

After the alleged racial profiling, Rapchuk went home, and called a Watch Commander to discuss the situation that had occurred.

“The Watch Commander interrupted me, and I never finished the story as to what happened,” Rapchuk said. “He proceeded to say that he had every right to pull me over because he can pull whoever he wants over and that he wasn’t going to take my complaint.”

Rapchuk said she has faced racial profiling her entire life, but this is the first time she has faced what she believes to be racial profiling from the police.

“I’m not afraid to use the service, but I don’t like the service abusing me, either.”

Popowich said it’s important for the RPS to maintain a good relationship with the public, as public trust is precious to officers doing their jobs.

“We do not single out drivers just because they are Indigenous,” Popowich said. “Often what comes to the attention of a police officer is some minor infraction like a rolling stop, exceeding the speed limit, or a lane-change without signaling.  Anytime someone has a complaint about the conduct of our officers, they can make a complaint, even going above the person initially taking the complaint, if necessary.”

“We do recognize that sometimes people feel they are not treated well and there is process for receiving those complaints.”

Rapchuk said she will still be trying to pursue a formal complaint with the Regina Police service.