Login / RegisterVancouver police investigating officer’s shoving of disabled woman in Downtown Eastside
The Vancouver Police Department is investigating why one of its officers shoved a disabled woman to the ground on a Downtown Eastside sidewalk.
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The department’s professional standards section is also looking into why two other officers at the scene didn’t offer any help to the woman, who reportedly has multiple sclerosis, on June 9, according to a statement issued by police this afternoon (July 22).
“The officer involved did take immediate steps that day to report the incident to his supervisor,” the statement says. “Within hours, the Duty Officer was informed and passed the information to the VPD Professional Standards Section, initiating an investigation. Professional Standards has since been in contact with the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner.
“The officer involved has also apologized to the woman, expressing regret for his initial action and for not helping her in the aftermath,” the statement adds.
Today, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association publicized surveillance footage showing the incident, which took place on East Hastings Street near Carrall Street.
Robert Holmes, president of the association, condemned the behaviour of the officers.
“This would not have happened in Kerrisdale or Point Grey and we need to ask why it happens on the Downtown Eastside?” Holmes said in a press release.
In its statement, the police department claims it takes its responsibility for the safety of Downtown Eastside residents “very seriously”.
“If this incident has in any way caused the public to be concerned about our commitment to helping and serving the people of the Downtown Eastside, we are deeply sorry,” the statement says. “We are committed to a full and thorough investigation and will take appropriate steps at its conclusion.”
You can follow Stephen Hui on Twitter at twitter.com/stephenhui.
Is this an excuse? - No it isn't. It's just a reminder that grim is grim -- for all of the players --including the police - who we expect to be above these mistakes.
This is a bad incident. The apology is here - what can be done with this woman - to reflect remorse--and (cliche or not) move and shake -- the negative -- and turn it positive.
I respectfully acknowledge that this may be easier said than done.
Does the BC Civil Liberties feel an conflict over how footage was obtained -- that they use to support their position?
This ass, and the two sitting on their asses so to speak, should be fired with no questions asked. What kind of union or brotherhood would defend this? If any, there's a serious problem. Yeah, he made a mistake. A mistake that any sane, thinking individual would not have made. No excuse here.
The thugs known as VPD deserve no respect. Respect must be earned.
nothing will happen. There is no legitimate police oversight...and the cops know this.
I don't "expect police to be above these mistakes". Quite the opposite sir.
I expect this behaviour from police as standard op procedure, followed by a PR offensive for damage control when a particularly iconic incident is caught on camera. The fact that this women is disabled means it's potentially more damaging to PR than your usual police brutality incident.
Ultimately, her disability is irrelevant to the issue.
The inherent attitude that goes along with the mandate given to the VPD is the problem. The nature of policing, and of course, the level of discontent in a community that keeps police under scrutiny.
The grim reality is, that an organized and angry community will force the police to behave themselves (to a point). Vancouver is mostly clueless about politics, so the VPD has a very long leash because no-one is checking them. To me, thats more grim than all the poverty and substance abuse in the DTES.
What's grim to me is a complete failure by the Vancouver body politic to understand how you control your local police force.
(hint: unflinching, constant and independent public scrutiny)
The comment thread for the original article shows that many Vancouverites won't acknowledge police misconduct even when they see video documentation.
Even when the cops make a public apology, there's still people out there willing to argue there's nothing wrong with this incident?! Talk about indoctrinated ...
I don't "expect police to be above these mistakes" unless you mean that this incident took place on camera. This stuff happens all the time in this town. The VPD have a very long leash because there's a culture of complicity in Vancouver.
Also, the public apologies and internal investigations are a sad joke.
What does APC stand for?
Rod Smelser
What is the name of the police officer?
He is barred from my business, my peers, my community. If justice cannot deal with them, shame them out.
What is the name of the police officer?
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What's your's?
Rod Smelser
Maybe you can explain to Sandy (the woman from the video) how the cops behaved appropriately when they pushed her down
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No one ever said there was no problem or that they acted "appropriately". Since I cannot think of any rational motive, I am assuming this is some kind of accident.
Has Sandy given a statement to the police or to other authorities?
Rod Smelser