Pubdate: Sat, 16 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
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?236 (Corruption - Outside U.S.)

BATTLE FOR CONTROL LED TO BEATINGS

A Vpd Constable Testified Members Of His Squad Were Expected To Be Proactive

The arrest of three drug dealers that led to their being assaulted in 
Stanley Park in January 2003 occurred during a power struggle on Granville 
Mall between criminals and the police over who was to control the downtown 
streets.

Const. Brandon Steele told a B.C. Complaint Commission public hearing that 
officers were expected to be pro-active and that members of his squad -- 
Unit Four -- took it to heart when trying to deal with increasing crime in 
the downtown area.

"None of these officers live on Granville St. but we cared about the people 
and the street itself and the merchants there," Steele said.

"The merchants were constantly approaching us asking us why we weren't 
doing anything and we'd have to explain to them that we were understaffed 
and trying to do what we could. "They sympathized but everyone acknowledged 
that the problem was getting worse on Granville and Dunsmuir and no one 
wanted it to go the same way as Main and Hastings in the Downtown 
Eastside," Steele said.

"We were instructed to have zero tolerance, told not to be a fence sitter, 
don't be someone who just collects a pay cheque each two weeks -- go out 
there and care -- and this squad took it to heart," he said.

Seven members of Unit Four took Barry Lawrie, Jason Desjardins and Grant 
Wilson to Third Beach in the early hours of the morning and assaulted them.

Wilson, a notorious drug dealer and thief, had been removed from Granville 
Mall earlier that night but had immediately come back by taxi, ignoring 
orders to stay away.

The assaults led to criminal charges against the officers and two of the 
unit, Duncan Gemmell and Gabriel Kojima, were fired.

Steele, who with Kojima received a police chief's commendation for 
arresting four heavily-armed Hells Angels on Granville Mall in November 
2001, said the trio were told in the parking lot that the police weren't 
going to lose control of Granville St.

When Lawrie was let out of a police wagon he was told the police knew what 
he was doing.

"We knew what he was responsible for drug dealing and all the associated 
crimes that go with it, and that there would be consequences to his 
continuing his ways," said Steele.

He said recruits were taught in the police academy to use what he called 
the Ways and Means Act.

"We can only do so much based on the laws in place so we have to be 
creative. We have to get the job done because it's our responsibility to 
serve the public," he said.

He said the police are taught that only five per cent of what they will be 
required to deal with falls within the black and white limits of 
regulations --the rest was the grey zone of the Ways and Means Act, he said.

The issue facing adjudicator Donald Clancy is to decide what force was 
applied to the trio and if the firings of the two officers were justified.

Was it just a few cuffs and punches as the officers who were disciplined 
claim or a thorough beating as Const. Troy Peters is expected to testify 
next week.

At the time of the incident Peters was a recruit who had only been with the 
squad for a few nights.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom