The Windsor Police Service is working to increase its diversity to better reflect the city's ethnic population. It's reaching out to communities that aren't well represented in the force.

Police held its first recruitment event at the Sandwich Teen Action Group in West Windsor Wednesday evening.

The second recruitment drive is being held Thursday at the Rose City Islamic Centre at 6 p.m.

Insp. Rick Facciollo is taking the lead in trying to diversify the department.

"What we're looking to get is a more of a diverse population of individuals coming forward and applying to the Windsor Police Service," said Facciolo. "That becomes part of our Human Rights Project that we've undertaken approximately a year and a half ago."

The Human Rights Project includes an effort to become more ethnically and culturally diverse.

"We understand the Windsor Police Service is not reflective of our community as a whole in general," said Facciolo. "So we're looking to break down those barriers, perceived or otherwise, to ensure that the people are applying to our service are the best candidates, but they're also reflective our community itself."

Earlier this year, every member of the department was given an internal census that may eventually paint a clearer picture of the department’s cultural and ethnic makeup.

Windsor Police to reveal ethnic makeup

The census was voluntary and 96 per cent of employees completed the questionnaire. The results fill 10 boxes inside Faciollo’s office. He said results will be published internally first and publicly second.

“The community has to understand that we can’t force people to tell us their heritage,” Faciollo said.

Faciollo is quick to admit the officers don’t accurately reflect Windsor’s multiculturalism. The city is one of the most diverse in Canada.

“You can see in our lower ranks, it’s not bad. We’re starting to better represent our community. With the young officers, it’s working out fine,” Faciollo said. “Going up the ranks, it’s going to take time to change those faces of staff sergeants and inspectors.”

Abdi Gaal, a Somali-Canadian living in Windsor, said Wednesday's drive was the push he needed to make his childhood dream come true.

"Since I was a kid, I always wanted to do policing and I never felt like I could reach that level, so now today I learned I could, that's good to know."

Faciollo said diverse communities have said to police “you have to come to us” to recruit.

Some new Canadians fearful of police

He said new Canadians are sometimes fearful of police having moved here from police states, where officers are sometimes not trusted.

“It’s our fault people feel that way [here]. We’re dealing with people who potentially had bad experiences from other countries,” Faciollo said.

Faciollo said he is currently dealing with a “distinctive group” of people in Windsor.

“They looked at me as an officer from their home country. They’re going to be fearful of me,” Faciollo said.

He said it took three hours for the group to warm up to him.

“Now, I’m almost like a family member,” he said.

The Windsor Police Service is hiring and the application deadline is Sept. 28.