Halifax’s police chief is expected to issue a formal apology to Nova Scotia’s black community today over the practice of street checks while outlining “meaningful action” to rebuild trust.

Chief Daniel Kinsella announced his plan to the city’s board of police commissioners on Oct. 21, saying African Nova Scotians have endured generations of inequity.

The chief has said street checks deepened the divide between police and the community.

The Nova Scotia government announced it would permanently ban the practice last month after retired chief justice Michael MacDonald and research lawyer Jennifer Taylor of the law firm Stewart McKelvey issued a formal opinion that it is illegal as practised in Nova Scotia.

MacDonald’s analysis concluded the practice of randomly stopping citizens, taking down information and then retaining it in files contravenes citizens’ constitutional and common law rights.

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