There will be no uniformed police in this year’s St. John’s Pride Parade.

The organization says there will be no uniformed enforcement officers marching this year to ensure that the space is safe and welcoming for everyone, as their presence can be distressing for community members who have been discriminated against. For many in the community, police do not always represent safety.

They say that while there will be no officers in uniform marching, there will need to be security measures in place to meet insurance, funding and traffic control requirements.

St. John’s Pride is currently looking for alternative security arrangements to minimize the need for uniformed police involvement.