Windsor, Canada - Windsor police chief Gary Smith has apologized to members of Windsor’s Islamic community for offending their beliefs after officers arresting two FBI suspects at gunpoint patted down one of their wives.
“It was never the intention for Windsor police officers to offend or embarrass the families of our Islamic community,” writes Smith in a press release issued by police Thursday morning.
“The actions taken did cause embarrassment and did offend their religious beliefs. I sincerely apologize to the families and the Islamic community.”
A review of the incident highlighted the need for additional “cultural sensitivity training,” said the release, and Dr. Murad Aktas has been tapped as the person who will provide it.
Details have yet to be worked out.
Windsor police officers assisted RCMP officers Oct. 30 in arresting Yassir Ali Khan and Mohammad Al-Sahli, who were wanted by the FBI in connection with a raid on an allegedly radical Islamic group in Michigan.
They were released on bail last Friday in Windsor.
The Windsor police release stresses the two suspects and their families were “cooperative” during the arrest and that the suspects walked out of their homes and turned themselves into police.
“In the course of the arrest, officers on the scene had interaction with the families of both men. It is this interaction that raised concerns among family members and the Islamic community about the cultural sensitivity of Windsor police officers,” said police. “The review of this incident revealed that the officers needed to balance their operational requirements with the expectations of the Islamic community. Based on training provided in 2007 the officers believed they had struck an appropriate balance; the community did not.”