Police watchdog group photographs Vancouver officers subduing a mentally ill man in Downtown Eastside

If the guy hit someone on the head with the pipe and killed them the police would be accused of just standing there doing nothing.
Just because you have a camera in your phone doesn't mean you have the training or knowledge to deal with someone's psychotic episode.

"All they needed to do is talk to the guy."

Then why didn't you do it, Jen?

I've been an outreach worker in the DTES for the past 12 yrs.
I've dealt with the same clientele as the VPD and I've never had to football tackle anyone to the ground.
And I've dealt with people having mental health break downs, trying to commit suicide, half nake women high on drugs and on 2 occasions someone pulled a weapon on me.
I am always able to deal with the situation by talking with the person on their level in a calm manner. With today's situation, the VPD should have cleared the area, not surrounded the male, called in mental health workers & only had 2 officers present. Talked to the male in a calm manner until he was willing to do what they asked of him.
But the fact they needed to jump the guy to the ground, tells me they don't have much training in how to deal with the mentally ill.

Know when to call the police and they do. Then they let the police handle it.

Wow "police need better training" what an ignorant statement. Without any context you provide your opinion. Use of force is not pretty but must be used at times. Why don't you educate yourself and find out that in 98% of interactions between police and the public there is no use of force. Out of the 2% remaining less than 30% results in any injury. These are stats gathered by the government as they must be reported by police forces. There are millions of contacts with police every year. The injuries amount to a very very small amount.
Like someone mentioned earlier everyone with a camera is an expert. As for Jen Allen there is a nice video of her on the Internet antagonizing police. We know what you are all about Jen!

These so called outreach workers are a bunch of idiots and annoying as hell. Don't call the police then, handle the pipe weilding man yourself.

This is not the first. I remember when the VCP used to kill indigenous peoples, and get away with it. In this picture, is the chinese woman police officer, pointing and laughing at the mental person? Shame.

There was a mentally ill man on my bus having an episode (this is almost a daily occurrence)and this lovely, nice lady offered him her seat. You know how he repaid her kind offer? He SPIT in her face!!! Why didn't you go up to this metal bar swinging lunatic and show him some kindness? You could have approached him with a friendly "Have you taken your anti-psychotics today?" or a helpful "I hate the police too!" Perhaps some smartphone- toting-warrior could've taken a pic of you, the lunatic and the cops that are never around when you need one ! Now there's a story.

For most of history the gentlemen on the bus would have dealt with such a character---in the end, it likely would've been chalked up to his having "slipped and fallen down." Too bad we're too PC now. Animals like that only understand force.

Then stop your stupid reporting and go be one and see how hard and stressful the job actually is!!! I for one am thankful i am not a cop. To deal with people like this? No thanks...