Calgary police acknowledge role in 2002 Goliath’s Bathhouse raid

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) is acknowledging its role in the Goliath’s Bathhouse raid 20 years after officers stormed the building.

Goliath’s Bathhouse was established in 1987 and serves the city’s gay community.

Police characterized the raid as “an event that is regularly singled out by community members as a negative experience with the police – whether they were arrested in the bathhouse or not.”

“When we looked back at this event, it was clear that the Service would handle the same situation very differently today,” a statement from police reads. “The Service stands by the investigation but would be far more engaged with the community to minimize the impacts if a similar investigation were conducted today.”

The raid happened Dec. 12, 2002. Officers busted down the door to the bathhouse claiming that the establishment was operating as a brothel after receiving an anonymous tip.

The search resulted in two employees and 13 patrons being charged with bawdy-house-related offences. Community advocates at the time decried the raid as anti-gay harassment.

According to The Calgary Gay History Project, a bathhouse raid in the early 2000s seemed “anachronistic,” especially decades after the infamous and controversial raids of the 1980s.

After a lengthy court battle, charges against those who were arrested were stayed and then dropped.

Andrew Brassard, the current owner of the Goliath’s Saunatel and Texas Lounge, says the Calgary police moved in the right direction but says this wasn’t a strong point, calling it a “senseless act by the police.”

“There was no positive that came out of this for anyone. Not for the community, not for this business, not for the police, not for the crown,” Brassard said.

“I’ve never heard of a swingers club getting raided. The only real difference between the two is one’s not straight.”

‘There are things we would do differently’

Calgary Police Chief Constable Mark Neufeld acknowledged CPS’ role in the raid Monday.

“The goal of this acknowledgement is to share with the community that when we look back, there are things we would do differently if given the chance to do them again today … Acknowledging the role our Service has played in causing trauma to Calgarians with diverse gender identities, gender expressions and sexual orientations is a way to demonstrate to the community that we have evolved as an organization and that we are listening to the concerns they have raised – even those concerns that are based on past experiences,” Neufeld said.

This marks the second time the Calgary Police Service has addressed its tumultuous relationship with the 2SLGBTQ+ community. In 2018, Roger Chaffin, who was the police chief at the time, apologized to the city’s 2SLGBTQ+ community for CPS’ role the bathhouse raid, as well as for the relationship between police and 2SLGBTQ+ folks as a whole.

“Our slow transition towards inclusivity, equality and diversity had many missteps along the way, including not issuing a permit for the Pride Parade in the 1980s, showing little commitment to building a relationship with the gender and sexually diverse community until the late 1990s, and not fully considering the impacts the 2002 Goliath Bathhouse raid would have on the community,” Chaffin said.

“By denying you the compassion and respect you deserve, we contributed to the systemic discrimination and marginalization that has marked your history. We are sorry for the role we played in this painful part of your past.”

–With files from Tate Laycraft, CityNews and The Canadian Press