Aug 02, 2013 – Vol. 18 No. 31 Mountie not

Jul 25 2013 guilty of perjury EDMONTON - Federal Justice Min- ister Peter MacKay says the Con- servative government is consider- ing changes to impaired driving legislation in the Criminal Code. Page 3

Jul 26 2013 SYDNEY - The headquarters of the Cape Breton Regional Police has undergone a name change in hon- our of a former chief. Page 4

Jul 28 2013 TORONTO - Nearly half of Ontario’s jails are overcrowded, a six-year high that sees cells meant for two people at times hold three or more as the province struggles with a ris- ing tide of inmates who have yet to have their day in court. Jul 29 2013 Page 5 VANCOUVER - It is impossible to say floor in October 2007, B.C. Supreme Court for certain that one of the four Mount- Justice Mark McEwan said in his verdict. Jul 29 2013 ies who confronted Robert Dziekanski Cst. Bill Bentley had been facing a charge TORONTO - Toronto police will at Vancouver’s airport worked with his that he lied at a public inquiry into Dziekan- do everything they can to answer three colleagues to concoct a story ski’s death, but McEwan said there are “other all the questions surrounding the about what happened that night, says explanations, inconsistent with the guilt of the “tragic’’ death of a young man shot a judge who found the officer not guilty accused, that remain open on the evidence.’’ by officers over the weekend, Chief of perjury Monday. When the verdict was pronounced, Bentley Bill Blair said Monday. Even an explosive video shot by a traveller bent over and cried into a tissue. Page 6 may not hold the full story about what hap- Whether the verdict will change what hap- pened when Dziekanski was zapped repeat- pens with the perjury charges against Bent- Jul 30 2013 edly with a Taser before dying on the airport ley’s three colleagues is not clear. VANCOUVER - The RCMP is ac- cused of violating the privacy of several of its members by hand- ing over their personal medical records in a dispute with a British Columbia psychologist. Page 8 Crown counsel spokesman Neil MacK- “The peculiar nature of this case is that the it in their direction, with the stapler coming enzie said the special prosecutor will take a alleged falsehood is that at the inquiry, Mr. within a foot of him. close look at the ruling. Bentley lied about lying,’’ McEwan wrote in The video does not show Dziekanski “Each of these cases is determined on its his ruling. swinging the stapler, but his back is to the own specific facts,’’ he said. “I don’t want to “The Crown has not shown that in any camera - a limitation the officers’ lawyers fo- speculate about what the effect of this deci- particular (allegation), Mr. Bentley made cused on during the inquiry. sion may be other than to say that obviously a false statement knowing it to be false and Bentley was also confronted at the inquiry the cases contain some interrelated facts.’’ with intent to mislead the inquiry. The Crown with his own notes from that night and his sub- He said the decision in one case won’t has advanced a suspicion based largely on sequent statement to homicide investigators. necessarily determine what takes place in the circumstantial evidence.’’ He included the following account in his other trials. Commissioner Thomas Braidwood’s final notes: “Subject grabbed stapler and came at Bentley was the first to be tried for perjury report concluded the officers used too much members screaming.’’ for his testimony during the 2009 inquiry, force and had no justification for using the Taser. At the inquiry, Bentley conceded the note which was called to find answers about what But McEwan found that when Dziekanski was wrong, but said he was confused about a happened the night the officers responded to picked up the stapler, he could be seen to be fast-moving situation. a call about a distraught man throwing furni- combative. The defence did not call any evidence ture in an arrivals area. “It is quite possible that the Pritchard video and denied Bentley colluded with the other Bentley said in his notes was Dziekanski did not capture the gestures several witnesses officers. Lawyer Peter Wilson argued his cli- came at the officers screaming and brandish- observed that would be consistent with Mr. ent’s initial errors were honest mistakes and a ing a stapler, prompting police to use the Bentley’s note that Mr. Dziekanski ‘came at’ product of a fast-paced incident and involve- Taser several times and wrestle Dziekanski to the police because it was taken from behind ment in an in-custody death. the ground. Mr. Dziekanski.’’ Bentley was the officer who called for an But the video, shot by traveller Paul During final submissions, McEwan in- ambulance and alerted dispatchers about his Pritchard, appeared to contradict some of terrupted the Crown several times, raising worsening condition, the defence said. Bentley’s notes and statements. doubts about the Crown’s theory, and noting “Here’s the youngest officer there with the During Bentley’s trial, the Crown called civilian witnesses made the same sort of mis- least involvement - what on Earth did he have several witnesses from the airport and prose- takes as the Mounties. to cover up?’’ asked Wilson. cutors relied on a comparison of the police of- McEwan said in his ruling that while all ficers’ notes and statements. Prosecutors tried the officers’ statements say Dziekanski was to prove the collusion by relying on similari- combative and yelling at them, they aren’t Thursday ties in the four officers’ notes and statements. “uniform.’’ July 25, 2013 The fatal confrontation fuelled a national “It is almost impossible to prove a subjec- debate about the safety of Tasers, prompting tive assertion that there was an explanation the Braidwood Inquiry that forced Bentley other than that Mr. Bentley was wrong.’’ Jul 25 2013 and the other three officers to account for why The Braidwood report prompted the prov- WASHINGTON - The FBI announced they used so much force so quickly on a man ince to appoint a special prosecutor to review last week it would reexamine thou- who, on the surface, appeared calm when po- the case. In May 2011, the prosecutor ap- sands of once-closed cases in which a lice arrived. proved perjury charges against Bentley, Cst. person was convicted — and in some The Crown argued at trial that Bentley and Kwesi Millington, Cst. Gerry Rundell and cases put to death — based on hair the other officers colluded on their stories to former corporal Benjamin Robinson. samples. Known as microscopic hair homicide investigators and then lied at the in- The other three officers are expected to comparison analysis, this type of test- quiry to cover up the deception. face separate perjury trials later this year or ing was often used to link a criminal early next year. defendant to a crime, but its reliability Bentley had been working as an RCMP of- has now been called into question. ficer for just over a year when Dziekanski died. The FBI said that in more than 2,000 cases In the video, Bentley can be seen hopping from 1985 to 2000, analysts may have exag- over a railing and walking through a slid- gerated the significance of hair analyses or ISSN 1704-3913 Copyright 2013 ing security door as he and the other officers reported them inaccurately. All defendants af- Blue Line Magazine Inc. & The Canadian Press approached Dziekanski, who stood with his fected by the inaccurate analyses will be noti- Permission to reprint may be obtained in advance from hands by his sides. fied and offered free DNA testing if errors in Access Copyright Phone 1-800-893-5777 [email protected] Within seconds, the officers surrounded are found in the FBI’s lab work or testimony. Dziekanski and one of them fired his Taser According to a report from The Washing- Published weekly by Blue Line Magazine, Inc. as an executive news briefing service to Canada’s top level law enforcement personnel. multiple times, causing Dziekanski to scream ton Post, more than 120 convictions have been and writhe on the floor. flagged as suspicious in the FBI’s review thus Most information supplied in this publication is from news- wire services. As such Blue Line Magazine does not ac- The video was played countless times at far. Of those cases, 27 defendants received the cept responsibility for the accuracy of articles as supplied. the inquiry, with Bentley and the other offi- death penalty as their punishment.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, cers narrating the clip with their versions of In addition to reviewing individual cases, stored in an electronic database or transmitted in any form or by what happened. the FBI is also using the review process to any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise, with- out the prior permission of the publishers. One Year Subscriptions Bentley testified that, based on the 911 call improve lab training, testimony, audit sys- are $10500 (GST Included). Paid subscribers may make up to four and Dziekanski’s appearance, he approached tems and research. (4) copies of this publication for distribution within their organization. Dziekanski prepared for a possible fight. “There is no reason to believe the FBI Group Publisher: Morley S. Lymburner He said at first, Dziekanski was calm, but Laboratory employed ‘flawed’ forensic tech- PUBLISHER: Kathryn M. Lymburner - [email protected] NEWS EDITOR: Mark Reesor - [email protected] then he became “unco-operative’’ when he niques,” Special Agent Ann Todd, a spokes- Subscriptions: Blue Line Store at www.BlueLine.ca threw his hands up and walked away. woman for the FBI, said. “The purpose of the ADVERTISING: 1-888-640-3048 12A-4981 Hwy. 7 East, Ste. 254, Markham ON L3R 1N1 Bentley testified Dziekanski picked up a review is to determine if FBI Laboratory ex- Phone: 905 640-3048 eMail: [email protected] stapler, turned toward the officers and swung aminer testimony and reports properly reflect 2 the bounds of the underlying science.” chance of parole for 13 years by a B.C. MacKay, who was once a Crown pros- The review includes every case between Supreme Court judge in Kelowna. ecutor in Nova Scotia, says he remembers a 1985 and 2000 in which the FBI found a Keith Wiens, who 57 now, won’t be eli- judge saying once that driving down the road positive association between hair taken from gible for parole until 2026 when he’s 70. while impaired is like pointing a loaded gun defendants and hair found at a crime scene. Wiens maintained he shot Lynn Kalmring at someone. Those who pushed for the review included in self-defence in August 2011, saying the the national nonprofit Innocence Project, the woman came at him with a knife but a jury Jul 25 2013 National Association for Criminal Defense rejected that claim after deliberating for just a FLIN FLON, Man. - A Manitoba RCMP of- Lawyers and its partners, which included pro few hours and declared him guilty of second- ficer is facing assault charges following bono attorneys. degree murder. an alleged altercation with a prisoner Since DNA testing can cost several thou- Justice Geoff Barrow called the shooting last year. sand dollars, hair analysis is often used to senseless, impulsive and fuelled by alcohol Mounties say they became aware of alle- link a defendant to a crime scene. However, when he sentenced Wiens. gations an officer had “manhandled’’ a pris- the practice was deemed “highly unreliable” The Crown was seeking a 15 year mini- oner last August in Flin Flon. in 2009 by a National Academy of Sciences mum term and the defence wanted a term of The detachment investigated and forward- report that concluded hair sample analyses 10 to 12 years while the jury had recommend- ed its findings to Manitoba Justice to be re- cannot be linked to one person, but only cat- ed at least 20 years before parole eligibility. viewed by a Crown attorney. egories of people. The jury heard the couple fought over On Monday, Cst. Jamie O’Brien was Despite the poor reliability, Todd says mi- money for at least eight months before Wiens charged with assault causing bodily harm and croscopic hair analysis is “a valid forensic murdered Kalmring. assault with a weapon. technique and one that is still conducted at (CKFR) He has been suspended with pay while the the lab” along with DNA testing. RCMP complete an internal investigation. Until all of the cases can be analyzed and Jul 25 2013 O’Brien is scheduled to appear in a court verified for accuracy, officials from the Jus- EDMONTON - Federal Justice Minister in Flin Flon on Oct. 3. tice Department have waived the deadlines Peter MacKay says the Conservative and procedural hurdles for those inmates who government is considering changes Jul 25 2013 are currently on death row. to impaired driving legislation in the LETHBRIDGE, Alta. - An investigation (MPN) Criminal Code. has concluded that the actions of two southern Alberta police officers who Jul 25 2013 shot and killed an immigrant from BERLIN - A car caught cruising the Bhutan were justified. streets of a sleepy east German village A review by the Alberta Serious Incident on a sweltering summer’s day sported Response Team (ASIRT) says the 26-year-old a decidedly unorthodox feature: a man posed a threat when he advanced on the pool filled to the brim with water. officers with a knife. German police say a motorcycle cop first Police had responded to a call in Leth- became suspicious when he saw water slosh- bridge last July about a man who was drunk ing out of a car as it rounded a corner Sunday But the minister says he won’t discuss and threatening people in a home. afternoon near Blauenthal, about 250 kilome- what changes he’s pondering until he hears The review found that he was still holding tres south of Berlin. from victims. the knife when two officers went inside the Then it passed him, and he couldn’t be- MacKay is in Edmonton meeting with house and wouldn’t drop the weapon when lieve his eyes when he saw four men, includ- people who have been affected by crime for told to do so. ing the driver, splashing about in swim trunks input on the government’s promised victims’ He then advanced on the officers and both in the open-top BMW. rights bill. shot him. Realizing they’d been spotted and with One person at the meeting was related to The man, who had recently immigrated to the officer in hot pursuit, the men drove to an Alberta man who was killed in a crash in- Canada, was pronounced dead in hospital. a parking lot, fled the car and jumped into a volving an accused drunk driver. nearby river, although one later returned to Last year, provincial justice ministers Jul 25 2013 claim his clothes. asked the federal government to consider WASHINGTON - The United States Police found that the car had been convert- increased penalties for impaired driving, par- prison population fell by 1.7 percent ed into a swimming pool on wheels, sealed ticularly in cases involving repeat offenders, to 1,571,013 between the end of 2011 with synthetic material and filled with 2,000 serious injury or death. and the end of 2012, according to a litres of water, according to Spiegel Online. It also had a wooden railing and cheap floral decorations, and attracted so many spectators that the officer had to call for reinforcements. Spokesman Frank Fischer said Thursday that police were still investigating which of the men was driving the mobile pool and whether he was drunk. He said the vehicle itself “probably didn’t have a road permit.”

Jul 25 2013 KELOWNA, B.C. - The former Mountie 1405baseball.com who murdered his common-law wife has been given a life sentence without 3 new report from the Bureau of Justice Jul 26 2013 Jul 26 2013 Statistics, marking the third consecu- OTTAWA - Border agents say they’ve SYDNEY - The headquarters of the tive year of decline in the U.S. prison seized 13,000 kilograms of khat, a Cape Breton Regional Police has un- population. drug banned in Canada. dergone a name change in honour of There were 27,770 fewer people impris- a former chief. oned at the end of last year compared to the The central division headquarters on previous year. Nine states saw their prison Grand Lake Road now bears the name of populations decline by more than 1,000 people Myles F. Burke who died of a heart attack on in 2012: California, Texas, North Carolina, April 9, 2011. Burke was 49. He is survived Colorado, Arkansas, New York, Florida, Vir- by his wife Jane and two daughters. ginia and Maryland. Burke was a highly-respected police offi- The recent decline in prison population cer who also gave generously of his time and follows an explosion in incarceration since support to several community organizations. the late 1970s. The prison population grew Police Chief Peter MacIsaac said the nam- every year between 1978 and 2009, accord- The Canada Border Services Agency says ing is a fitting tribute to his former boss. He ing to the BJS, rising from 307,276 to a high it’s seeing a huge spike in attempts to smug- said a formal dedication ceremony is being of 1,615,487. gle the drug, with more than 1,300 seizures as planned, but not all of the details have been California led the way in prisoner reduc- of the end of May. worked out. tion in 2012, with its prison population falling Khat is a plant that’s native to east Africa. Burke was attending a police conference in by more than 15,000 due in part to the deci- The green leaf of the plant contains cathine Halifax at the time of his death. sion to house “nonserious, nonsex, nonvio- and cathinone, which when ingested produce He was appointed chief in December 2008 lent offenders” in local jails, not state prisons. effects similar to amphetamine. having served through the ranks of the former Overall, the population of prisoners in state Shipments of the drug were intercepted at Sydney police department and later the Cape prisons declined by 2.1 percent in 2012. The Pearson International Airport and at an interna- Breton Regional Police Service, which came population in federal prisons, however, rose tional mail processing centre in the Toronto area into being as an amalgamation of a number of by 1,453 prisoners, or 0.7 percent. Over the between January 2012 and May 31 this year. municipal police forces. past decade, according to the BJS, the federal Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney He had previously worked with the New prison population has increased an average of commended border service agents for divert- Glasgow and Calgary police departments. 3.2 percent each year. ing the drug from distribution in Canada. Among his community involvements, The national imprisonment rate for men Burke served with such groups as the Cape was more than 14 times the rate for women. Jul 26 2013 Breton YMCA, Talbot House, YMCA Cana- Louisiana had the highest rate of imprison- EDMONTON - Police in Edmonton say da, and the United Way of Cape Breton. ment among the states, followed by Missis- they have arrested a website owner (Cape Breton Post) sippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas. Maine who faces charges over a grisly vid- had the lowest rate, followed by Minnesota eo at the centre of the Luka Magnotta Jul 26 2013 and Rhode Island. murder case. PENTICTON, B.C. - A B.C. Supreme The population count was based on data A warrant was issued Thursday for Mark Court judge in the Okanagan city of from 47 states and the Federal Bureau of Marek on a charge of breaching conditions of Penticton has found a Mountie who is Prisons, with counts for three states estimated his bail, which a judge granted last week. currently under suspension without because the states had not submitted data. An Police say the 38-year-old was picked up at a pay not guilty of perjury. updated, final count is scheduled for release gas station after they received a tip that led them The charge stemmed from testimony that later this year. to a nearby Edmonton-area storage facility. Cpl. Andre Turcotte gave Jan. 28, 2010, (CBS News) Marek was originally charged with one while on trial for assaulting Scott Campbell, count of corrupting morals for allegedly post- a passenger who was in a car that the officer ing a video from Magnotta while knowing it claimed had almost run him off the road. friday depicted a real killing. Turcotte was found guilty of the assault, July 26, 2013 The video allegedly showed the killing and the Crown alleged he knowingly made a and dismemberment of Chinese university false statement while recalling when Campbell Jul 26 2013 student Jun Lin in Montreal. came into the Penticton RCMP detachment to SHARBOT LAKE, Ont. - The Special Magnotta has pleaded not guilty to murder be fingerprinted on an unrelated charge. investigations Unit has been called in and is to stand trial in September 2014. But Judge Bruce Butler says Campbell after shots were fired Thursday eve- had his fingerprints taken at the detachment Jul 26 2013 ning in the Sharbot Lake area. on the date in question and admitted to hav- Provincial police officers responded to a call MONTREAL - A 70-year-old man has ing been at the detachment previously four or at a home near the community southwest of Ot- been shot by police during an incident fives times. tawa and were confronted by an armed male. in Montreal. Butler also questioned Campbell’s reliabil- Shots were fired and a 45-year-old man Montreal police spokeswoman Anie Lemieux ity as a witness, saying he “had little or no was taken to hospital with serious injuries. says officers were responding to a call near down- respect for police,’’ “had little ability to recall The SIU was called in and has taken con- town about a man expressing suicidal thoughts. events’’ and exhibited “a smug demeanour’’ trol of the investigation. She says there was an altercation - and police on the witness stand. The agency investigates all reports involv- fired at least one shot. Even though Butler said he has some ing police where there is death, serious injury She says the man was struck in the lower body. doubt about Turcotte’s recollection of how or allegations of sexual assault. The man has been taken to hospital and, she events transpired, he says the evidence, as (CKPT) says, his life is not believed to be in danger. established, is a realistic possibility. The incident will now be investigated by the (Kelowna Courier) provincial police. 4 Jul 26 2013 rare transition, with the ongoing closure of KELOWNA - With soaring crime rates several jails, including facilities in Toronto saturday and Sarnia, and the construction of a major and a rise in serious offences, Kelow- July 27, 2013 na has been named Canada’s new correctional complex in southwestern On- crime capital. tario as well as a 1,650-bed “superjail’’ in

A 2012 police-reported crime report released Jul 27 2013 Toronto’s west end. by Statistics Canada Thursday said Kelowna The new facilities will bring in 280 net EDMONTON - A sting involving a po- had the highest crime rate out of Canada’s 33 new beds to what is currently a 9,020-bed lice officer posing as a homeless man major cities, increasing by six per cent from the system that last year housed an average 8,806 netted 22 distracted-driving tickets previous year. people each day. Thursday. The surge was mostly blamed on a hand- The province says most of those inmates ful of prolific offenders but Kelowna RCMP were held on remand - awaiting a bail hearing spokesman Cst. Kris Clark said the new de- or trial. It’s a cohort which has surged to near- tachment chief’s focus on aggressive policing ly two-thirds of the provincial penal popula- against these groups might herald a decrease tion today from one-third back in 1996. of offences in the crime-ridden area. Though the number of total annual inmate “He certainly has a vision ... and so far admissions has dropped by more than 10,000 we’ve already seen a 15-per-cent decrease in the last three years, so too has the number in crime for the last six months of this year,” of beds, of which there were nearly 500 more Clark said. back in 2010. There were 8,875 crimes committed for The notorious 504-bed Toronto Don Jail every 100,000 people in Kelowna on 2012. was the most busy facility in the province at Edmonton police used the ploy as part Violent offences against people like assaults 117 per cent capacity - or nearly five inmates a distracted-driving awareness strategy in and murders have gone down by 2.5 per cent for every four beds - narrowly beating the southeast Edmonton, said police spokesman but property crime rose by a skyrocketing Niagara Detention Centre, while the Windsor Scott Pattison. 13.5 per cent. Jail rounded out the top three at 111 per cent Dressed in a blue hoodie and beige cap, the “There was one guy from Alberta who capacity. officer hoists a sign that reads, “Hello, I am stole 45 vehicles in 21 days; that’s two to The Toronto and Windsor jails have been a police officer, if you are on your cellphone three cars a day,” Clark said. overcrowded for all of the last six years, right now, you are about to get a ticket.” Now incarcerated, the one criminal alone while the Niagara facility was over capacity Last year, police in Burlington, Ont., Otta- was responsible for at least half of Kelowna’s for the last five, statistics show. wa, Salmon Arm, B.C., and Chilliwack, B.C., vehicle thefts. And at the 382-bed maximum-security jail used the same “hobo cop” tactic. A crackdown on organized crime also in London, there were last year on average 45 Edmonton’s specialized traffic apprehen- skewed the area’s crime rates, Clark added. more inmates each day than free beds, leaving sion teams handed out 22 distracted-driving While Kelowna’s crime rates soared, many with hastily arranged accommodations. tickets and one yellow-light infraction ticket B.C.’s major cities, on the other hand, saw a during the two-hour sting, Pattison said. significant decrease. (Edmonton Journal) Crimes in Vancouver and Victoria both de- monday clined by seven per cent, and there was a drop July 29, 2013 of two per cent in Abbotsford-Mission. Sunday The rate of severe crimes committed in the July 28, 2013 three cities also plummeted, unlike Kelowna’s, Jul 29 2013 which rose by six per cent, according to Statis- PARIS - A staggering 40 million euro tic Canada’s Crime Severity Index report. (US$53 million) worth of diamonds Jul 28 2013 Insp. Nick Romanchuk, who is expected and other jewels were stolen Sunday to take over the helm of Kelowna RCMP TORONTO - Nearly half of Ontario’s jails from the Carlton Intercontinental Hotel commander before September, plans to de- are overcrowded, a six-year high that in Cannes, in one of Europe’s biggest crease Kelowna’s crime by implementing sees cells meant for two people at times jewelry heists in recent years, police tougher policing against targeted groups of hold three or more as the province said. One expert noted the crime fol- repeat offenders. struggles with a rising tide of inmates lows recent jail escapes by members “It is my goal that Kelowna is never again who have yet to have their day in court. of the notorious “Pink Panther’’ jewel mentioned in a Stats Canada report on crime Statistics by the Ministry of Community Safe- thief gang. unless it is recognized for significant reduc- ty and Corrections reveal that on an average day The hotel in the sweltering French Riviera tions in crime,” Romanchuk said. last year 14 of the province’s 29 jails held more was hosting a temporary jewelry exhibit over Currently the second largest RCMP de- prisoners than they were designed for. the summer from the prestigious Leviev dia- tachment in Canada with 234 officers, Last year the province-wide capacity rate mond house, which is owned by Israeli bil- Kelowna plans to add 12 new officers to their hit 98.5 per cent, matching a peak set in lionaire Lev Leviev. force by 2015. 2008/09 and coming in slightly above the A police spokesman said the theft took “You see your stats go up before they ever average rate in the intervening four years, place around noon, but he could not con- go down,” Clark said. “Where there’s oppor- earlier figures obtained through freedom of firm local media reports that the robber was tunity there’s going to be crimel but we’ve al- information show. a single gunman who stuffed a suitcase with located resources to change that.” The London jail was at 105 per cent capac- the gems before making a swift exit. The (The Province) ity and has had more inmates than beds in five spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity of the past six years. because he was not authorized to discuss the The overcrowding high comes as the prov- matter on the record. ince’s correctional system is going through a The luxury Carlton hotel featured 5 prominently in Alfred Hitchcok’s “To Catch Jul 29 2013 the SIU said it will be interviewing 22 wit- a Thief,’’ which starred Cary Grant as a re- CENTRAL FRONTENAC, Ont. - On- ness officers who may have information on formed burglar chasing a jewel thief. It is sit- tario’s police watchdog says a man the incident. uated on the exclusive Promenade de la Croi- shot during an incident with police The SIU has assigned six investigators and sette that stretches 2.5 kilometres along the northwest of Kingston, Ont., has died two forensic investigators to analyse the in- French Riviera, and is thronged by the rich in hospital. cident. Witnesses are being interviewed and and famous throughout the year. The hotel’s The Special Investigations Unit says the video footage is being scrutinized. position provides not only a beautiful view of 45-year-old man was shot multiple times dur- Blair said in addition to the SIU investigation, the sea but also an easy getaway for potential ing an “interaction’’ with provincial police he would be conducting a separate probe to see jewel thieves along the long stretch of road. officers at a home in a rural area of Central if police procedures and training were followed. Police say the Pink Panther network’s Frontenac last Thursday night. “A full report of my review, actions and members are prime suspects in a series of dar- The SIU says the man was rushed to recommendations will be submitted to the ing thefts. According to Interpol, the group Kingston General Hospital for surgery but Toronto police services board within 30 days has targeted luxury watch and jewelry stores died Sunday evening. of being notified that the SIU has reported the in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the His name has not been released. results of their investigation to the Attorney United States, netting more than $438 million The agency says an autopsy is scheduled General,’’ he said. since 1999. for Tuesday. The incident has sparked outrage on (The Canadian Press, CJOJ) social media. Jul 29 2013 (CP, CBC) SASKATOON - A Saskatoon police of- Jul 29 2013 ficer has discovered that a farm back- TORONTO - Toronto police will do ev- Jul 29 2013 ground comes in handy on the job, erything they can to answer all the ques- LLOYDMINSTER, Sask. - Saskatch- especially when capturing four-legged tions surrounding the “tragic’’ death of ewan RCMP believe it will take at least vagabonds. a young man shot by officers over the three months before an investigation Police got word early Sunday morning that weekend, Chief Bill Blair said Monday. is complete into the deaths of six a horse was running loose and posing a poten- teens in a car crash. tial danger to traffic. Cpl. Rob King says investigators are talk- Cst. Derek Chesney, a former rancher, was ing with witnesses and friends who saw the among the officers called to the scene and teens before they packed into a two-door car quickly realized that a little ingenuity would and headed out on a rural road early Saturday. get the aging gelding - called Archie - out of The car collided with a semi truck south harm’s way. of Lloydminster and sunk to the bottom of a Chesney lured the animal by filling a road-side slough. bucket with stones and rattling it to mimic the The victims - three girls and three boys - sound of oats before fashioning a bridle out of were between 13 and 17. police tow rope to secure him prior to loading King says it’s not known which teen was the horse on a trailer. Sammy Yatim, 18, was killed while he driving or if that teen had a driver’s licence. Chesney jokes that perhaps his colleagues was on a city streetcar early Saturday morn- He says autopsies, toxicology tests and a should take lariat training in case they need it ing following an altercation with police, an traffic reconstructionist’s report may eventu- in the future. incident that was captured on video and has ally provide some answers. It turns out Archie had plodded all the way triggered a flood of public outrage online. from Clavet, about 30 kilometres southeast Blair said he understood the public had Jul 29 2013 of Saskatoon, but he was safely back in his many questions about police conduct. OTTAWA - The Harper government owner’s care by the afternoon. “I recognize that there is a need for an- has quietly given Canada’s electronic (CKOM, CTV Saskatoon) swers and that the public quite rightfully ex- eavesdropping agency approval to ex- pects that the matter will be thoroughly inves- change information with foreign part- Jul 29 2013 tigated. I want to assure you all that this will ners even when it may put someone at PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. - A head be done,’’ Blair told reporters. risk of torture. sheriff in Nova Scotia accused of sex- “The public also has a right to demand that Ryan Foreman, a spokesman for Com- ual assault has elected to be tried by the Toronto Police Service examine the con- munications Security Establishment Canada, judge and jury in the province’s Su- duct of its officers to ensure that its training says the spy service is following a federal preme Court. and procedures are both appropriate and fol- policy on the risks of ill-treatment when shar- James William Snow of Cape Jack faces lowed. This will be done.’’ ing information. charges of sexual assault and breach of trust. Blair added that police will co-operate fully The policy is intended to guide security The 58-year-old, who made his first court with Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit, agencies when seeking or sharing informa- appearance today in Port Hawkesbury pro- which is investigating the 18-year-old’s death. tion puts someone in foreign custody at seri- vincial court, has a preliminary inquiry The SIU said an “interaction’’ between Ya- ous risk of being tortured. scheduled for Jan. 16. tim and police- which also included the use Records released through the access-to-in- The RCMP arrested the Antigonish Coun- of a Taser - left the young man with multiple formation law have shown that several agencies ty man following an alleged incident in Troy gunshot wounds. - including the Canadian Security Intelligence in November 2008. Yatim was taken to hospital where he died Service, RCMP and federal border organization Snow, who has been released from custo- of his injuries. A post mortem was conducted - were directed to follow the policy. dy, has been a sheriff for more than 30 years over the weekend. However, until now there was no explicit con- working in various parts of the province. The police watchdog said it is investigating firmation that the policy applied to the Ottawa- He has been placed on leave from his job. the actions of one police officer in relation to based eavesdropping agency, known as CSEC. (CIGO) Yatim’s death. In the course of its investigation, The revelation comes amid mounting 6 7 concern about widespread surveillance treatment of his police officer patients. an armoured vehicle with a battering ram to by the U.S. National Security Agency, The college found that the complaint knock down the front door. CSEC’s American counterpart in the Five against Webster was unfounded. Montreal police said Tuesday an officer Eyes intelligence alliance. may have been shot in the foot while the man Jul 30 2013 was barricaded in the house. Jul 29 2013 EDMONTON - Nearly 7,000 drivers’ They said the SWAT team member was either CALGARY - Charges have been laid af- licences were suspended and more struck by a bullet or slammed into an object. ter a chase on a busy Calgary road that than 5,400 vehicles were seized in led to police gunfire and dents to several the first six months under Alberta’s Jul 31 2013 cruisers after they were rammed. tougher new impaired driving law, MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Ontario’s police Police say officers confronted a man and a which took effect a year ago, recently watchdog has charged a York Region woman in a minivan early Sunday after get- released statistics show. officer in connection with an alleged ting word of a stolen vehicle. Fatal crashes in which alcohol was a fac- assault that took place in April. The driver fled into oncoming traffic on tor also declined between July and December The Special Investigations Unit says Deerfoot Trail and attempts were made to 2012, compared to the five-year average for on April 21, officers were called to a block the vehicle. those same months. There were 33 alcohol- Richmond Hill, Ont., home where “an Some cruisers were rammed before an of- related traffic deaths last year, down 46 per interaction ensued’’ between police and ficer fired at the minivan, but no one was hit. cent from the 2007-11 average of 62, accord- those living in the home. The woman, who was a passenger, had to ing to the government numbers. During that interaction, the SIU says be cut out of the van before she was taken for It’s too soon to declare victory, but pre- 63-year-old Zdenek Horsak was allegedly as- treatment of minor injuries. liminary figures since the legislation changed saulted by an officer. Raymond Germaine Troy Jacobson, who seem promising, Alberta Justice Minister Cst. Ernest Carmichael is facing one is 31, faces several charges, including dan- Jonathan Denis said Tuesday. charge of assault and is set to appear in court gerous driving and failing to stop for police. Since July 1, 2012, drivers with a blood-al- in September. (Global Calgary) cohol level of .08 or more have their vehicles seized for three days and their driver’s licence Jul 31 2013 Tuesday suspended until their case is resolved in court. EDMONTON - An investigation has July 30, 2013 Previously, those drivers faced a 24-hour li- concluded that two Edmonton police cence suspension with a 21-day grace period, officers were justified when they shot Jul 30 2013 then a 90-day licence suspension. Their ve- and killed a suspected bank robber. CALGARY - A man has been charged hicles were not seized. The Alberta Serious Incident Response in the crash of a pickup truck into the A total of 4,434 suspensions were issued in Team, known as ASIRT, says there was no doors of the Calgary courthouse. that category in July through December last criminal offence when the officers used lethal Police say someone deliberately drove the year, up from 4,082 in 2011. A total of 3,385 force against a man armed with a handgun. truck around a concrete barrier and through vehicles were seized last year. Last December, the police service received the south entrance of the downtown building Since Sept. 1, motorists who blow between a 911 call from an employee at a Canadian early Monday. .05 and .08 on a breathalyzer — which is not Western Bank about an armed robbery. No one was hurt, but there was significant a criminal offence — can have their licence ASIRT says two officers who entered the damage to the doors. suspended for three days and their vehicle bank became - quote - “engaged’’ with a man Jaren Wayne Feser of Calgary has been seized for three days for a first offence. Previ- who had a gun. charged with dangerous operation of a motor ously, the penalty was a 24-hour licence sus- He was told to put down the weapon but vehicle and causing damage to property. pension. refused. Feser, who is 29, has been remanded in From Sept. 1 through December 2012, 910 Both officers fired their guns and struck custody and is to appear in court Aug. 7. suspensions and 770 vehicle seizures were is- the 24-year-old man several times. sued for blowing over .05. Jul 30 2013 New drivers, who are not allowed any al- Jul 31 2013 VANCOUVER - The RCMP is accused cohol in their systems, received 719 licence VAUGHAN, Ont. - An 85-year-old wom- of violating the privacy of several of suspensions and 662 vehicle seizures. an is facing stunt driving charges after its members by handing over their (Edmonton Journal) a pedestrian and her dog were struck personal medical records in a dispute and killed by a vehicle in Vaughan, with a British Columbia psychologist. Ont., last month. wednesday York Regional Police say that on June 10, The Mounted Police Professional Associa- August 31, 2013 tion of Canada filed a complaint today asking at about 8:15 p.m., a vehicle left the road and the federal privacy commissioner to investigate. hit a pedestrian and her dog on a sidewalk. Police say the vehicle then ran across the The association claims the information was Jul 31 2013 disclosed to B.C.’s College of Psychologists lawns of several residences and struck several MONTREAL - A 20-hour standoff be- without consent in order to bolster the force’s trees and a hydro transformer before coming tween a senior citizen and Montreal complaint against psychologist Michael Web- to rest on its roof. police has ended with the man being ster, an outspoken critic of the organization. The pedestrian - a 28-year-old Vaughan shot with a rubber bullet. Association president Rae Banwarie says resident - and her dog died at the scene. Police say he surrendered after an officer the disclosure shows a “crass and cynical Police say Betty Kestenberg, of Vaughan, shot him this morning. disregard’’ for RCMP member’s privacy and has been charged with stunt driving for go- The 72-year-old man has been taken to most sensitive personal health information. ing more than 50 kilometres per hour over the hospital. The RCMP filed the complaint against Web- speed limit and careless driving. Police were able to get into the west-end ster last August, saying his advocacy for change Kestenberg and her husband, 88-year- residence after Quebec provincial police used within the organization was detrimental to the old Louis Kestenberg, who was the lone 8 passenger in the car - also face a charge each Calgary Police Commission on Operation Jul 31 2013 of failing to properly wear a seat belt. Desino on Tuesday night. OTTAWA - An armed RCMP officer will The couple were taken to hospital for non- “Cops count. You take resources and apply be present at all times during a Cana- life threatening injuries and are both sched- them to a problem, and you get results,” said da-U.S. pilot project for pre-inspecting uled to appear in court in Newmarket, Ont., Hanson at a 2009 meeting. truck cargo, says a newly released bi- on Aug. 19. Last night, the chief credited a cash infu- lateral agreement. sion with the spate of recent gang busts. The federal government says the measure Jul 31 2013 Fifteen investigators were brought in to is a reminder that Canadian law applies even GUELPH, Ont. - Speed and icy road help crack a string of deadly shootings, said though armed American inspectors have set conditions caused the crash that Hanson. up shop north of the border. claimed the life of a Guelph, Ont., con- That includes the now infamous News In the first phase of the cargo pilot project, stable, police said Wednesday after a Years’ Day triple-murder at the Bolsa Res- which got underway in June, U.S. Customs months-long investigation. taurant in 2009. and Border Protection officers are working “I want you to know that this is a reflec- in Surrey, B.C., to conduct preliminary in- tion of the support we got from you,” said spection of truck shipments crossing into Hanson. Blaine, Wash. But investigators refused to reveal exactly The pilot project is part of a Canada-U.S. how much Desino cost. perimeter security pact aimed at ensuring the “‘It’s an ongoing investigation still, we swift flow of goods and people across the haven’t tabulated the numbers right now but 49th parallel while bolstering overall North we keep a running tally and those numbers American defences. will come out when we’re all done,” said The American officers, though permitted Hansen. to carry guns, are limited to pre-inspection Cst. Jennifer Kovach, 26, died in March Mike Shaikh, Calgary Police Commission duties - initial questioning of truck drivers to when her cruiser crashed into a city bus as she chair, says regardless of the bill, it’s money determine the admissibility of goods to the responded to a colleague’s call for assistance. well spent. U.S. - and do not have power to enforce Ca- Police released the findings of their in- “Our goal is to make sure that our streets nadian or U.S. criminal laws. vestigation into her death Wednesday, say- are safer. And that’s what we concentrate on,” During the six-month pilot, an armed Ca- ing they had ruled out driver distraction and said Shaikh. nadian police officer is to be stationed “in the mechanical failure. The chair says he trusts the chief when he line of sight of the pre-inspection booth’’ at And though Kovach wasn’t wearing her says he needs more resources, and said the all times it is operating, says a memorandum seatbelt as required, it likely wouldn’t have commission monitors results carefully. of understanding on the project, released to saved her life if she had, given the “extreme Local gang expert Insp. Mike O’Brien also The Canadian Press by Public Safety Canada. and severe’’ nature of the crash, Guelph Po- stressed that it takes a lot of time and resourc- “The Participants also understand that lice Chief Bryan Larkin said. es to solve these types of cases. cargo pre-inspection processing may be sus- Larkin described how Kovach initially “This was a large investigation,” said pended at a pilot location at such times that managed to slow down the vehicle and O’Brien. the Canadian law enforcement officer is straighten it after it spun out. “People need to know that this isn’t like a not present,’’ says the agreement, signed in That’s when the cruiser hit a patch of ice one-hour television show where everything is March but not made public at the time. and spun again before sliding into the bus’s wrapped up in a nice neat bow and you have The police presence “demonstrates that path, he said. guilty pleas in an hour.” Canada and the U.S. are working collab- “Speed is the primary factor in this colli- (CBC News) oratively while ensuring Canadian laws sion. The police cruiser exceeded the criti- continue to apply while in a U.S. pre-in- cal curve speed, causing the initial rotation,’’ Jul 31 2013 spection zone,’’ said Public Safety spokes- Larkin said in a news conference. TORONTO - The province’s police woman Josee Picard. “Cst. Kovach possessed the abilities and watchdog says no charges will be An RCMP officer is assigned to the British skills to recover from the initial rotation, laid after investigators concluded a Columbia pilot project at the Pacific High- however, the roadway condition - wet, com- 23-year-old man who died during an way crossing and a member of the Niagara bined with the ice - created a significant coun- arrest at a Toronto fast-food restaurant Regional Police Service is to take part in a ter-clockwise rotation followed by a slide that accidentally shot himself in the head. second phase of the initiative at the Peace was not recoverable in time prior to impact The Special Investigations Unit says the Bridge connecting Fort Erie, Ont., and Buf- with the transit bus.’’ Toronto police force’s guns-and-gangs unit falo, N.Y., Picard said. The bus Kovach’s cruiser collided with forcibly removed Zoltan Hyacinth from his A U.S. customs officer accused of using had no passengers at the time and the bus car and wrestled him to the ground at the excessive force or otherwise breaking the law driver had only minor injuries. drive-through of a north-end Burger King on would answer to Canada’s legal system dur- Kovach had joined the force four years March 17. ing the pilot projects, expected to last up to earlier, fulfilling what relatives have said was It says that while Hyacinth was pinned to 18 months. her lifelong dream. the ground he pulled a pistol in an apparent However, the memorandum says in the attempt to fire on the officers, but ended up meantime “options are to be developed’’ to Jul 31 2013 shooting himself in the head. address issues of officer accountability, in- CALGARY - Calgary police say the The SIU says three shots were fired, with cluding civil and criminal liability. It adds biggest gang investigation in the one bullet fragment later matched to Hya- that failure to develop mutually agreeable op- force’s history is worth every penny — cinth’s Ruger pistol, and not to the Glock tions could spell the end of the pre-inspection they just won’t say how many pennies handguns used by the arresting officers. initiative. they’re spending. Director Ian Scott says in a statement that “Hyacinth “Discussions are ongoing on a pre- Chief Rick Hanson gave an update to the was the inadvertent author of his own misfortune.’’ clearance agreement that will respect both 9 countries’ jurisdictional concerns and both station CP24 Wednesday evening. can cause permanent blindness and can even countries’ sovereignty,’’ said a U.S. Embassy ‘’Unfortunately, Mr. Marin’s unin- burn skin. official in Ottawa. formed comments aren’t very helpful to (CHQR) The same issues of officer accountability the situation.’’ have held up other perimeter security pilot Blair has said his office would conduct its Aug 01 2013 projects that would see the two countries cre- own review of the shooting. WINNIPEG - Drivers in Manitoba who ate integrated teams in areas such as intelli- The SIU has said Yatim died after receiv- get caught texting or talking on their gence and criminal investigations. ing multiple gunshot wounds and that a Taser cellphones will now face a stiffer The Canadian Press reported this week was also used. penalty for the infraction. that, according to an RCMP briefing note, In one video that has circulated online, Starting today, they will receive two demer- the U.S. has asked that its police officers be Yatim can be seen pacing an empty street- its on their licence on top of the existing fine. exempt from Canadian law if they agree to car as shouts of “drop the knife’’ are heard. That means they’ll end up paying more for participate in the projects. Then nine shots can be heard -first three shots a licence and vehicle insurance. The October 2012 note said the U.S. re- in succession then six more after a pause of Police and the province have both said quest came despite the fact that, traditionally, about six seconds. they will consider using even more demerits co-operative initiatives in cross-border law An officer involved in the shooting - iden- if the message doesn’t sink in. enforcement have been based on the notion tified as Cst. James Forcillo - has been sus- Figures from Manitoba Public Insurance that the laws of the host country apply to il- pended. His lawyer, Peter Brauti, said he is indicate about 20 deaths a year have been legal acts on its territory. reviewing the case, but has not yet decided linked to distracted driving in the province whether to recommend Forcillo submit to an since 2005. SIU interview. Statistics also suggest drivers who are thursday Mike McCormack, the president of the To- texting are 23 times more likely to be in an August 02, 2013 ronto Police Association, has urged the pub- accident and one-quarter of fatal crashes lic to wait for the full facts of the interaction in Manitoba are caused by some form of Aug 01 2013 to be determined before making conclusions distracted driving. (CJOB) TORONTO - The use of police force in about the police. the shooting death of a young man in “I can see why people would have ques- Aug 01 2013 Toronto has prompted Ontario’s om- tions, and that’s a natural thing, and we’re budsman to question whether it is time going to get the answers,” McCormack said After a court appearance this morn- for the provincial government to review during an interview on CBC Radio’s Metro ing, a 35-year-old male driver is now police de-escalation guidelines. Morning. charged with manslaughter after al- Andre Marin said Wednesday he has or- McCormack called both the suspension legedly hitting a conservation officer. dered a “case assessment’’ to determine if a and the statement “extraordinary.” full-fledged investigation into those guide- He said he plans to speak with Blair about lines is necessary in the wake of Sammy Ya- why he chose to suspend the officer to make tim’s death. sure the proper processes are happening. The 18-year-old, who died Saturday morn- “Our officer has not been accused or charged ing after receiving multiple gunshot wounds with anything at this point, and there’s been during an “interaction’’ with police, will be no finding of misconduct in any way,” Mc- laid to rest Thursday. Cormack said. The incident, which was captured on sur- The union head said he’s been in a similar veillance and cellphone video, has sparked situation and that lethal force is sometimes public outrage over police use of force. the appropriate response to someone armed Blaine Thomas Taypotat was originally Marin said his office will examine the di- with a knife. He said the public’s questions charged with impaired driving causing death rection and guidelines provided by the Min- about the incident are valid, but there are a after a collision on Highway 11, south of Sas- istry of Community Safety and Correctional number of variables that the video might not katoon, that killed Justin Knackstedt, 23, on Services to Ontario’s police for de-escalating make plain, and people will have to wait for May 31. situations that could potentially result in the the SIU investigation. RCMP said that Taypotat hit Knackstedt use of force. while the man was helping to control traffic “The latest shooting by a Toronto police Aug 01 2013 around an accident scene. The conservation officer raises the question of whether itis CALGARY - A Calgary police helicop- officer had been driving to Blackstrap when time for the Ministry to direct Ontario police ter pilot was momentarily blinded he and a colleague stopped to help. services on how to de-escalate situations of when a beam from a powerful laser He was at the north edge of the scene when conflict before they lead to the use of fatal was flashed at the aircraft during a he was fatally struck. Taypotat then kept driv- force,’’ he said in a statement. routine patrol. ing, until he rolled his SUV. Marin added that the ombudsman’s case Police say a light from what’s known as (CBC News) assessment will not affect the ongoing inves- a type-three laser was allegedly flashed three tigation by the province’s Special Investiga- times at the chopper as it flew over a north- tions Unit, but his office will monitor any is- west neighbourhood overnight. sues relating to police co-operation with the Duty Insp. Guy Baker says officers cor- SIU. doned off an area and eventually arrested a Police chief Bill Blair, however, suggested 19-year-old man. Baker says the suspect is facing one crimi- Marin’s monitoring is unnecessary. Subscribe at Blueline.ca/store ‘’All 22 witness officers have given their nal count of mischief and a charge under Ca- statements - there’s full co-operation with nadian Aircraft Regulations. the SIU investigation,’’ Blair told television Police also say the laser that was used 10