Categories: Need to know

Final report on Dziekanski death released

Braidwood calls it “the story of shameful conduct by a few officers”

by Shanda Deziel on Friday, June 18, 2010 2:15pm - 10 Comments

The public inquiry into the 2007 death by Tasering of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski was released today. Commissioner Thomas Braidwood detailed the circumstances of Dziekanski’s death in his second report on the incident, and found that the Mountie who Tasered Dziekanski was not justified in using his weapon and that the two other officers involved offered “unbelievable after-the-fact rationalizations” to explain the incident. Braidwood described the situation as “the story of shameful conduct by a few officers”, which should not reflect on thousands of other Mounties. The inquiry was called following the October 2007 death of Dziekanski, 40, who was stunned five times at the Vancouver International Airport. Someone in the crowd filmed the incident, prompting an international outcry. Since the death, the RCMP changed its Taser policies. The inquiry report makes eight recommendations, including an independent body to investigate the B.C. Police.

The Globe and Mail

National Post

Tags: Canada

More by Shanda Deziel

http://intensedebate.com/people/tobyornotoby tobyornotoby

And even more shameful behaviour by their superior officers who tried to sweep it under the rug and would have been successful if not for the video tape.
http://intensedebate.com/people/canon70 canon70

If this incident had not be captured on cell phone video, the truth would never have come out. I find that a sad commentary on the system.
http://intensedebate.com/people/Stewart_Smith Stewart_Smith

At the time of this tragedy, tasering was the recommended action when faced with "passive resistance". i.e. when the person simply did nothing. The argument for this policy at the time was that passive resistance puts officers lives at risk. Once this idiotic thought process became public knowledge the RCMP changed their policy.
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/RCMP+tighten+Tas…

It would appear that Braidwood's report is silient on the RCMP's policy that contributed to Dziekanski's death. (at least the exec. summary). While the officers clearly engaged in shameful conduct (and will hopefully now be charged) it is also true that senior RCMP officiers drafted a policy that virtually ensured that any innocent who was not able to immediately comply with an order would be subject to potentially lethal force. Those senior officiers should be accountable for what happened.

Alan Webster

As you , yourself. correctly pointed out – the RCMP POLICY on the use on the Taser ( if it contributed to the sad death of this Polish at all ) – at the time of this unfortunate incident – WAS to use the Taser – instead of beating him with a police batton – or shooting him – to subdue the passive individual !

This POLICY has now been changed ! The unfortunate four RCMP officers who attended this situation – as the presumed last resort – and applied the then POLICY of the use of the Taser have . in my opinion been subjected to ridiculous charges and after the fact opinions by the Canadian Press – and now by a former lawyer – none of whom have ever been placed in that particular situation !

It seems that the " POT" is sometimes blacker – at least when un informed opinions are all that is needed to stir up Canadian press opinions – and especially when former lawyers are called upon to form those opinions – especially AFTER THOSE FACTS have occurred !

http://intensedebate.com/people/Stewart_Smith Stewart_Smith

To be clear, I would certainly not exonerate the 4 officers. The policy was certainly wrong. However, their actions indicate to me that their intent was to punish Dziekanski for his failure to comply rather than simply subdue him. This is a natural turn, when hostility between police and the public lead to members of a police force adopting an us and them attitude. However, to allow it to persist is the first step towards a police state.

http://intensedebate.com/people/Open_Democracy Open_Democracy

Air India report released Thursday – left jab
Braidwood report released Friday – right hook
RCMP – down for the count

Canadians desperately need an independent body to both control and surveil the actions of the RCMP. It is the only way that they will be able to get us to trust them to look after the best interests of Canadians in the future.

http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/

http://intensedebate.com/people/Stewart_Smith Stewart_Smith

Now, now, you are clearly forgetting the bang-up job they did investigating the Brian Mulroney paper bag/ Swiss cheese thing and how they busted Ralph Goodale so fast he was unable to commit the crime.

On a much more serious note, senior RCMP officers sent in 4 inexperienced and underequiped officers into an ambush at Mayerthorpe.

R.N. Warde

Absolutely no one in the media, nor the 'justice' system that watched the entire video of these despicable actions has commented about the one thug bludgeoning the man at least three times with the end of his baton, just before the other accomplices sat back as if knowing he was dead after that act. Anyone else that performed this act, especially on video, would already be serving their life sentence in prison. These perpetrators are still on a Canadian police force. Disgusting and a national disgrace.
Robb

While I respect and support the RCMP…I do not trust them. If you remember the Martensville Sask child molestation fiasco (it turned out to be total fabrication) back in the mid 90's, there was one female officer on that case who was suffering from Psycotic Episodes…and she was allowed to stay on the case! This came out in Alberta Report Magazine. I am not saying all RCMP officers are not to be trusted, but too many fall into this catagory as I have seen over the years. And what makes it all worse is the ability of the upper powers to sweep these things under the rug. At some point we will have to address these problems!
Patrick Hannaford

If these 4 thugs, parading as police officers, are not criminally charged for this cowardly and despicable act, there is no justice
in Canada.