New Westminster police to investigate Vancouver cop’s shoving of woman in Downtown Eastside
The shoving incident was caught on surveillance video.
New Westminster police will investigate why a Vancouver police officer shoved a disabled woman on a Downtown Eastside sidewalk.
The New Westminster Police Service will also probe why the two other Vancouver Police Department constables who accompanied the first officer did nothing to help the woman.
The June 9 incident was caught on surveillance video, which was publicized by the B.C. Civil Liberties Association on July 22.
Vancouver police had announced later on July 22 that they would investigate their own officers’ actions.
In a statement today (July 27), the department maintained it ascribes a “very high value” to the relationships it has with Downtown Eastside groups and residents.
“Out of respect for those relationships and in recognition of public concerns today the VPD has asked the New Westminster Police Service to assume both the criminal and Police Act investigation into the actions of a VPD constable who pushed a woman on Hastings Street along with the actions of the two constables who accompanied him,” the statement said. “VPD Chief Constable Jim Chu has also designated his role as Discipline Authority to the NWPS.
“The officer involved is no longer walking the Hastings Street beat and has been reassigned pending the outcome of the investigation,” the statement added.
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Comments
What ever happened to the idea of an independent part reviewing things like this? Having police investigate police is biased to say the least.
Perhaps over time a civilian oversight agency will be able to develop a professonal investigative cadre of its own, but in the initial years it will be relying of hiring ex-police officers. Where else would they get people trained in this kind of work.
I think Chu has handled this well. Did the press release indicate what specific charges the NW police are to look at, or is that up to them? Are there any witnesses identified at this time, other than the video camera itself? Has the victim given a statement?
Rod Smelser
There was no announcement from the VPD or the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner until July 22, the day the B.C. Civil Liberties Association released the video.
The OPCC apparently wouldn’t answer further questions. According to Kim Bolan’s July 23 Vancouver Sun story, “No one at the OPCC returned calls Thursday” (July 22).
Although the VPD claims it’s committed to having outside police forces investigate serious incidents, New West cops weren’t called in until July 27, nearly seven weeks after the incident.
All three cops remained on active duty -- in the same neighbourhood -- for nearly seven weeks. It was only after July 22 that the cop who shoved the disabled woman was reassigned.
And we’re supposed to believe that there was an investigation prior to the BCCLA’s July 22 announcement?
One further point: The cop who shoved the woman claimed he thought she was trying to grab his gun. That’s exactly the same excuse two Vancouver cops used for beating up Ali Eltah Ishag on June 26. The videos don’t support either claim.
http://www.bcpolicecomplaints.org/media.html