Pubdate: Wed, 3 Sep 2008
Source: Houston Today (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Houston Today
Contact:  http://www.houston-today.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4080
Cited: The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP 
http://www.cpc-cpp.gc.ca/

HOUSTON COPS ACCUSED OF BRUTALITY

Telkwa Man Alleges He Was Attacked Inside Detachment

A Telkwa man claims he was brutally assaulted by Houston RCMP officers
following a traffic stop on Aug. 13.

The Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP confirmed that a
police brutality complaint has been filed by Telkwa's Neale Bubb,
against officers at the Houston RCMP detachment.

The federal agency would not release details of the complaint, but has
confirmed the sequence of events as related to Houston Today by
sources close to the complainant as matching their records.

The sources, who would only speak on the condition of anonymity, said
the complainant was driving through Houston with his two adolescent
children Aug. 13 when a member of the RCMP pulled him over for
allegedly failing to come to a complete stop at a stop sign.

After pulling the man over, several other RCMP patrol cars arrived on
scene and an unidentified Houston RCMP officer allegedly began
conducting a field sobriety test on the assertion of smelling alcohol
and marijuana.

The officer's demand for a field sobriety test was a curious request
said a relative of the complainant.

"He hasn't had a drink in 15 years," he said.

The sources said the man alleges officers asked him to stand on one
leg followed by a demand to walk a yellow line, but in both cases
interfered with the field test by kicking his foot and refusing to
allow him to wear his glasses.

When the man protested this alleged mistreatment, one or more of the
officers was said to have pinned him to the ground as another punched
and kicked him.

Inside the Houston detachment, it is alleged the man was attacked
again by an undisclosed number of officers as he was escorted to a
cell.

He added the family will pursue the complaint, but their primary
concern right now is the man's children, who witnessed the alleged
confrontation.

The complaint filed with the federal commission has been forwarded to
RCMP internal investigators.

Following the in-custody fatal shooting of Ian Bush at the Houston
detachment, a 2007 coroner's jury put forth a recommendation that
cameras become mandatory in interview rooms. It's not known if those
recommendations were adopted in Houston or if there may be video
footage of the alleged incident.

Houston detachment commanding officer, Sgt. Sean Wadelius and the RCMP
strategic communications department in Vancouver did not immediately
return repeated requests for comment by Black Press.
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