Brent Bowden, a constable with the Truro Police Service, has been off duty for over a year following an incident involving a banana peel. In June 2024, Bowden, who is African Nova Scotian, discovered a banana peel on the hood of his pickup truck. He expressed disbelief, noting the historical context of banana peels being used as a racist taunt against Black individuals, particularly athletes. "The racial context between Black people and monkeys are very relevant with bananas and what the undertones of that means, and it's nothing new," Bowden stated in an interview. Security camera footage from the Truro Police Service shows two officers leaving the police station in the rain, one carrying a banana. The footage reveals that the peel was thrown from the passenger side of an unmarked police vehicle, landing on Bowden's truck. Since the incident, Bowden has not returned to work, leading to complaints under the Police Act and disputes with his union regarding representation. The Truro Police Service and the Town of Truro have stated they took the matter seriously. Police Chief David MacNeil was informed the day after the incident, and internal meetings were held, including discussions with an African Nova Scotian community leader to support Bowden. Alison Grant, a spokesperson for the town, said, "A thorough internal investigation was completed on this incident prior to the filing of the Police Act complaint, which included reviewing the surveillance video. There was no evidence to suggest this was done intentionally." However, Bowden criticized the response, claiming it lacked accountability for the officers involved. He described the investigation as merely "checking a box" to minimize the controversy. "My concerns were ignored. I was met with deflection and there was no solution given to me other than my return to work like nothing ever happened," he said. The town's plan for Bowden's return involved ensuring he would not have contact with the two officers. Bowden filed a complaint with the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner against the officers involved. An investigation led by an African Nova Scotian officer acknowledged Bowden's perception of the incident but ultimately found no misconduct under the Police Act. The report concluded that the circumstances did not meet the threshold for sustaining the allegation. DeRico Symonds, a director at the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute, emphasized that the intention behind the peel toss is irrelevant to the impact it had on Bowden. He stated, "People, every day, may do actions that they may consciously be aware of, or they may not be aware of the particular harm." The final report recommended enhanced training on cultural competency and unconscious bias, which the Town of Truro has since implemented. Bowden also filed a complaint against Police Chief MacNeil, which was not sustained. Both complaints took longer than the statutory 60-day investigative timeline, with the first taking 121 days and the second 90 days. Bill MacDonald, the police complaints commissioner for Nova Scotia, noted that 60 days may not be sufficient for many legitimate reasons. Currently, there is no set date for Bowden's return to work. He declined to return under the proposed conditions, leading to the suspension of his temporary earnings replacement benefits in October 2024. A Workers' Compensation Board hearing later determined that the suspension was inappropriate. Bowden's situation is compounded by previous incidents that contributed to his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He was threatened with a knife in March 2023 and became trapped in a police vehicle in June 2023. A psychologist noted that PTSD can be exacerbated by new stressors, including feelings of provocation and injustice. Bowden expressed doubt about returning to work, stating, "I feel that I'm never going to be able to return to work because of what has unfolded over this incident. I don't feel supported. I don't feel safe in the workplace." He indicated that a public apology from the town would help facilitate his return. The Atlantic Police Association, Bowden's union, has declined to represent him, citing a conflict of interest. The labour board has indicated there may have been a breach of fair representation. Bowden is awaiting a decision on whether his complaint will be dismissed or referred to a hearing. Earlier this year, Bowden faced scrutiny for sharing a Facebook post that included allegations against a town employee unrelated to the banana peel incident. The town threatened legal action unless he removed the post, which he did. However, they later stated they would not pursue legal action against him. Bowden remains committed to sharing his story, hoping to help others through his experience. "I stand on the shoulders of ancestral giants that have paved the road for me to become a police officer, to be a military combat veteran of Afghanistan, to stand to uphold the rule of law, to fight for people that don't have a voice," he said.