Pubdate: Tue, 19 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.)

CONSTABLE 'AFRAID' TO INTERVENE IN BEATINGS

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver police officer who reported members of his squad 
for abusing three drug dealers in Stanley Park described a flurry of blows 
being given to one of the men, Barry Lawrie, after he was let out of a 
police wagon.

Const. Troy Peters -- a trainee officer at the time -- thought the first 
blow came from former constable Duncan Gemmell, followed by a flurry of 
short, swift punches to Lawrie's torso from five officers gathered around 
the wagon.

He said he might have been kicked but wasn't sure by whom during the 
assault, which lasted about 30 seconds.

Lawrie was yelling, "please stop" and attempting to cover his face while 
being punched, Peters told a B.C. Police Complaint Commission public 
hearing Monday.

Lawrie was one of three drug dealers arrested on Granville Street by Team 
Four -- the squad responsible for policing Granville and the West End -- on 
the night of Jan. 14, 2003, and "breached" to Stanley Park.

Peters had only been with Team Four for two nights and was in training and 
on probation when he went with the rest of the squad to Third Beach, where 
the men were released.

The arrests came after one of the men, Grant Wilson, refused to follow 
police orders to stay away from Granville. He had already been breached out 
of the area earlier in the evening, only to return immediately.

Six of the officers involved in the beatings were convicted of assault and 
all were disciplined by the department, with Gemmell and Gabriel Kojima 
being fired.

Peters said the beating came after Const. Raymond Gardner lectured Lawrie, 
telling him "he was a piece of s--- and that he was in the middle of 
nowhere and no one knows who he is or where he is."

"The people on Granville are tired of drug dealers and the police own 
Granville St. and it was now time for alternative measures," said Peters, 
giving the gist of Gardner's speech.

The only officers not involved in the assaults were Peters and Const. James 
Kenney, who was the acting sergeant and Peters's supervisor.

Asked by commission counsel Dana Urban why he didn't intervene, Peters said 
he was afraid of what the officers might have done to him if he did.

"I didn't want to be labelled a whistle-blower and I was concerned about my 
safety," said Peters.

"I was quite disgusted and in shock and disbelief and I felt very 
isolated," he said.

Peters will testify today about the beatings given Jason Desjardins and Wilson.

Wilson -- the particular target of the squad's ire -- went to St. Paul's 
Hospital for treatment an hour after being beaten.

However, Dr. David Kassen, who treated him, testified that he found only 
minor abrasions and bruises and a sore thigh. Wilson was given a 
prescription for painkillers and released.

Peters eventually took his concerns about the events in Stanley Park to 
Vancouver Police Union president Tom Stamatakis after seeking the advice of 
other police officers.

"I knew it was wrong and it bothered me to the extent I didn't know what to 
do about it or who to talk to," Peters said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom