Tasering at Vancouver Int'l
Sat, 2008-02-23 12:38
#1
Polly B
Tasering at Vancouver Int'l
Sat, 2008-02-23 12:38
#2
Polly B
Since both threads on this one are closed, will post this here. Received email today:
quote:
Thank you for your correspondence of November 16, 2007, concerning the use of
Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs) by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
(RCMP) in British Columbia. I apologize for the delay in responding.
While the event that transpired in Vancouver on October 14, 2007, is of great concern to me given my overall responsibility for federal policing in Canada, law enforcement and the administration ofjustice are provincial responsibilities. As such, you may wish to bring your concerns to the attention of the appropriate minister in British Columbia by writing to:
The Honourable John Les, MLA
Minister of Public Safety and
Solicitor General of British Columbia
Parliament Buildings
Victoria, British Columbia V8V 1X4
Notwithstanding, I have provided a copy of your correspondence to the RCMP, and am informed that the matter you refer to is under investigation by the RCMP. I am further informed that the RCMP employs an “Incident Management! Intervention Model” to train its members in all intervention options, including the CEW. The role of the police in any intervention is to ensure public safety, and utilizing the minimum amount of force necessary to control a situation is key to this philosophy. The RCMP continually reviews its training and operational skills to ensure that its members are prepared to respond to any situation.-2-
You may wish to know that on November 8, 2007, the Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC) initiated a public complaint into the conduct of the RCMP members present at, or engaged in, the arrest of Mr. Robert Dziekanski at the Vancouver International Airport, and the adequacy of the subsequent criminal investigation. Furthermore, the British Columbia government announced on November 19, 2007, that it will launch a full public inquiry into the death of Mr. Dziekanski and into the policy governing the use of Tasers by police in that province.
In addition, the Canadian Police Research Centre has been asked by the Canadian
Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct research, particularly with respect to
CEWs and excited delerium. I look forward to the results of that study.
Furthermore, on November 20, 2007, I asked the Chair of the CPC to undertake a review of RCMP protocols on the use of CEWs and to assess the compliance of the RCMP with these protocols. On December 12, 2007, Mr. Paul Kennedy submitted his interim Report which contained a number of recommendations regarding the RCMP’s use of CEWs, which the RCMP are examining. The RCMP has indicated that it will continue to cooperate fully with the CPC as it develops its final report which I anticipate in the summer of 2008.
Any death is tragic; however, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the specific case regarding Mr. Dziekanski given that there are a number of independent processes underway to examine this matter.
Thank you again for sharing your views on this important issue. Yours sincerely,
Stockwell Day, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Public Safety
Oh gag me. Now they are launching a study into excited delirium.
Sat, 2008-02-23 12:40
#3
Polly B
Oops no longer a current event. In your hands mods, move to wherever.
Tue, 2008-03-25 07:12
#4
remind
Well, now the RCMP are censoring information in this regard. Can people say police state loud enough?
quote:
The RCMP is stripping crucial details about taser firings from public reports as use of the controversial stun guns skyrockets across the country.A joint investigation by The Canadian Press and CBC found the Mounties are refusing to divulge key information that must be recorded each time they draw their electronic weapons.
As a result, Canadians will know much less about who is being hit with the 50,000-volt guns: whether they were armed, why they were fired on and whether they were injured.
Taser report forms obtained under the Access to Information Act show the Mounties have used the powerful weapons more than 4,000 times since introducing them seven years ago.
[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080325.TASER25/TPStor... stripped from the forms includes details of several taser cases the Mounties previously made public under the access law. In effect, the RCMP is reclassifying details of taser use - including some telling facts that raised pointed questions about how often the stun guns are fired and why.[/url]
Tue, 2008-03-25 07:15
#5
Boom Boom
CBC did a good story on this last night. The Public Complaints guy at the RCMP was really critical of the force, saying (on camera) it is shooting itself in the foot by not being more open and transparent about rates of tazering by the RCMP.
Tue, 2008-03-25 07:27
#6
remind
Did the person give any indications as to why the secrecy?
Or is this just another manifestation of the Harper government?
Tue, 2008-03-25 07:38
#7
quote:
Boom Boom: CBC did a good story on this last night. The Public Complaints guy at the RCMP was really critical of the force, saying (on camera) it is shooting itself in the foot by not being more open and transparent about rates of tazering by the RCMP
I heard the Radio-Canada radio version late last night. His argument about too much secrecy was offset by words from another RCMP officer, the one mandated to release the (heavily censored) documents - after 15 months of stalling and because of a court order. He muttered that he could not answer any questions as to why the censoring out of crucial details about whether the victims had been armed, their mental condition at the time of the killing, etc., because "he wasn't working in access to information."
I got the impression of a good cop/bad cop routine, allowing people who want to think the Force is being straightforward to have someone to identify with.
Meanwhile, there were twice as many incidents of Tazering in 2006 than in 2005, especially in Western Canada (think Aboriginals). Seventeen people dead and counting.
[ 25 March 2008: Message edited by: martin dufresne ]
Tue, 2008-03-25 08:06
#8
Boom Boom
quote:
Originally posted by remind:
Did the person give any indications as to why the secrecy?
No, he seemed completely in the dark as for why all the secrecy. My guess is the RCMP is trying to cover their collective asses.
Thu, 2008-03-27 06:13
#9
remind
It would seem so boom boom, there is now a review going on driven by public outrage it seems.
quote:
The RCMP, stung by criticism over secrecy, is rethinking its decision to strip Taser reports of crucial information after the public safety minister demanded a second look.
[url=http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2008/03/24/5090246-cp.html]http://cne...
Thu, 2008-03-27 06:25
#10
Boom Boom
I have a bad heart, I'm prohibited by doctor's orders from shovelling snow, and if I was ever tazered for whatever reason, it'd probably mean certain death. How are police supposed to know if their taser targets have bad hearts or not? [img]confused.gif" border="0[/img]
Thu, 2008-03-27 10:30
#11
Any report requested by Stockwell Day will be a whitewash.
Public Safety Minister - sounds like Bureau of State Security - BOSS - Brings to mind South Africa under apartheid.
Thu, 2008-03-27 14:08
#12
related column here:
[url=http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/03/25/7870/]http://www.commondr...