BCCLA Files Complaint after RCMP Detachment Head Comments
The B.C. Civil Liberties Association is filing a
complaint after the head of the Langley RCMP attempted to interfere with
the independent review of the shooting death of Alvin Wright. Wright,
who had no criminal record, and no history of violence, was alleged by
Supt. Derek Cooke, head of the Langley RCMP detachment of attempting to
attack a police officer with a knife when he was shot.
“The RCMP did the right thing in asking for the
independent review, and then immediately turned around and did the wrong
thing by telling the independent reviewer what the conclusion of the
review should be,” said Robert Holmes, Q.C., President of the BCCLA.
“When you go to the press and say here are the facts, and our officers
had no choice, why ask for a review?”
As early as yesterday evening, the BCCLA was
congratulating the RCMP approach to the file, in particular their
requests to the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner to review
the investigation done by the Vancouver Police Department. Now the
organization is filing a complaint against Superintendant Derek Cooke,
whose detachment had refused to remove the involved officers from active
duty – even before the Vancouver Police Department investigation of the
incident was complete.
The RCMP has confirmed that the release was not
approved by E Division.
“In our view the RCMP detachment head is in a
conflict of interest and his comments about the event, concerning which
he has no first-hand, direct knowledge, are inappropriate,” noted
Holmes.
“After the RCMP decided to engage an outside review of matters,
it would have been far better had he let that process work, instead of
offering up his own conclusions.
The perception that such comments may
sway the course and outcome of that review will be hard to dispel. The
inference that such comments had that as their aim will remain one that
reasonable people will have to ponder. Sadly, as most residents of B.C.
understand, often the official RCMP version of events needs critical
examination and it is best to wait for a full review by an objective and
independent source before coming to a conclusion.”
Click here to read the BCCLA letter of complaint >>
BACKGROUNDER: THE RCMP AND THE MEDIA
The RCMP has a history of omitting key facts in their
media releases to the public about police-involved deaths. Many times,
information contradicting the “official” version of events comes out at a
coroner’s inquest or through video evidence provided by bystanders or
surveillance systems. For example:
- Before the video of the Robert Dziekanski incident was released to
the public, but after the RCMP had reviewed the video, the RCMP had said
that officers “attempted to calm him [Dziekanski] down” and
“communicate with him” before Dziekanski “attempted to grab something
off a desk.” The video showed that information to be inaccurate or
misleading.
- Before the blood splatter evidence in the Ian Bush case in
Houston was released, the RCMP had alleged that Mr. Bush was choking the
police officer from behind when he was shot. The blood splatter
evidence and Mr. Bush’s forensics indicated that Mr. Bush was shot in
the back of the head.
- Before the testimony of the forensic pathologist in the Rodney
Shane Jackson coroner’s inquest took place, the RCMP had told media
Jackson had been shot in the chest, not in the back. Jackson had, in
fact, been shot in the back.
- Before the testimony of the partner of the officer who shot an
unarmed Kevin St. Arnaud, and before information about the physical
evidence was released at the coroner’s inquest, the RCMP had said that
Mr. St. Arnaud was standing over top of the shooting officer. In the
partner’s version of events, the officer was standing in a “police
shooting stance”. The RCMP ordered the partner not to speak to the
media. An eye witness said Mr. St. Arnaud was surrendering.
- The video of Mr. Clayton Alvin Willey’s treatment in RCMP cells
in Prince George has still not been released, which shows him receiving
multiple Taser applications while hog tied, information which was not
released by the RCMP at the time of his death in custody, and for which
no officer has ever been charged.
