Pubdate: Thu, 14 Apr 2005
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Gerry Bellett

OFFICER URGED WOMAN TO GET OFF DRUGS

Disciplined Constable Says He Told Woman To Stop Seeing The Drug Dealers 
Police Later Beat Up

VANCOUVER - One of the police officers involved in the Stanley Park beating 
of three drug dealers attempted to persuade a young woman arrested with 
them to stop seeing the men and give up drugs.

Const. Brandon Steele told a B.C. Police Complaint Commission public 
hearing Wednesday that he was concerned about Shannon Pritchard's welfare.

The hearing was called after two officers -- Duncan Gemmell and Gabriel 
Kojima -- sought to have their jobs reinstated after being fired by 
Vancouver police chief Jamie Graham.

Steele was the driver of the police wagon that transported Pritchard and 
her three companions to Stanley Park. They had been arrested on Granville 
Street.

Steele kept his job but was demoted and estimates he lost more than $40,000 
in wages and overtime because of internal disciplinary action for his part 
in the Jan. 14, 2003 assaults.

Just before entering the park, Steele stopped the wagon and let Pritchard 
out near the Sylvia Hotel. It was about 5 a.m. and still dark.

Steele said Pritchard had been introduced to drugs by the men who were 
having sex with her in exchange for continuing to supply drugs.

One of the men arrested with her was Grant Wilson, who police describe as a 
notorious drug dealer and thief who was labelled by Steele as a "street bully."

After he let Pritchard out, Steele had a short conversation with her.

"She was introduced to crystal meth by these males. She was from a small 
town up north and as a result of being introduced to this drug she'd been 
sleeping with one or all of them in order to get drugs," said Steele.

"I said she shouldn't be hanging around with these guys and to stay away 
from Granville. She resembled someone I went to school with. She didn't 
look like she was too far into it and I talked to her about getting away 
from them and getting away from drugs," he said.

Today, Steele will give evidence about what happened in the park when 
Wilson, Barry Lawrie and Jason Desjardins were released from the police wagon.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman