Canadian police forces have received millions of dollars from oil companies, banks and financiers, through shadowy charitable foundations that have little public oversight and increasingly serve as a “cash cow” of private money.

These police-affiliated organizations based in large cities across Canada have funded helicopters, armoured vehicles and surveillance technology for police departments, as well as many community and youth-oriented programs, according to an investigation by The Tyee.

As the Defund the Police movement continues to gain traction, a leading expert on police foundations says police may use them as a “fall-back strategy,” turning to corporate coffers to make up for any potential budget cuts.

The Vancouver Police Foundation, whose current “corporate partners” include LNG Canada, Royal Bank of Canada and real estate companies, has given the city’s police more than $3 million dollars in the last five years, paying for a patrol boat, night-vision binoculars, and a drone program.

Source: Private Firms Pour Millions into Militarizing Police via Charities | The Tyee