POLICE FRUSTRATED, HEARING TOLD

Man Described As A Chronic Criminal Was Among Those Beaten

VANCOUVER - Police officers attempting to control the unruly Granville
Mall, with its population of drug addicts and career criminals, were
clearly frustrated by their inability to keep the likes of Grant Wilson
from committing crimes, a public hearing was told Tuesday.

Wilson was one of three persons with long criminal records who were taken
to Stanley Park Jan, 14, 2003, and beaten by six members of the police unit
- -- team four -- assigned to patrol the Granville and West End area.

The officers all pleaded guilty to assault in provincial court and two
constables -- Duncan Gemmell, and Gabriel Kojima -- were fired by Police
Chief Jamie Graham a year ago.

They have appealed Graham's decision to the B.C. police complaint
commissioner, who has ordered a public hearing.

Two officers who had been part of team four -- but were not with them in
Stanley Park -- told adjudicator Donald Clancy that Wilson was a constant
threat to the public.

One method of dealing with him and other drug dealers was to "breach them"
under a provision in the Criminal Code for being a threat to the peace,
then transport them out of the area.

That normally led to "breached" people being dumped in neighbouring
district two -- east of Cambie Street -- although putting Wilson there only
exposed that area to crime, they admitted

Sgt. Curtis Robinson, the former supervisor of team four, who left some
months before the assaults on Wilson, Jason Desjardins and Barry Lawrie,
told the hearing that Wilson, especially, should not be allowed in Vancouver.

He described him as a thief and a drug addict.

"Grant Wilson is a chronic property crime offender. He's one of the four
per cent -- the four per cent of people responsible for most of the crime
in Vancouver. He's a crime wave and should be in jail," said Robinson.

Const. Jag Cheema said Wilson was known to every police officer in
Vancouver. Cheema was unit supervisor that night but was called home,
relinquishing control to Const. James Kenney.

"We've had hundreds of complaints about Wilson from store owners along the
Granville strip. He's taken the bread out of their families' mouths," said
Cheema.

Cheema spoke of his exasperation at being unable to control Wilson's
activities despite the warnings he was given.

He said Wilson often sold fake crack cocaine, which resulted in fights with
customers he had ripped off.

"I saw him have three fights in one day," said Cheema.

Before he left his shift on the night of the beatings, Cheema had ordered
Wilson to leave the area because he was about to fight with two men. Cheema
returned and found him confronting a second set of males and decided to
have him "breached" to Main and Hastings.

It was when Wilson returned yet a third time that he was taken to Stanley Park.

Cheema said that Wilson "looked rough" and had a bruise or abrasion on his
forehead.

Robinson described the Scottish-born Gemmell as the kind of officer "who
would be first through the door in a fight" and who had done undercover
work directed at Hells Angels members.

Cheema and Robinson said they would be glad to see both officers back on
the force.

"The squad did excellent work in the community and they were missed after
they were gone," said Cheema.