POLICE MISCONDUCT 'SYSTEMIC'

Scandal-Ridden VPD Faces Call For Full Public Inquiry

A legal watchdog yesterday demanded a full public inquiry into the
scandal-plagued Vancouver Police Department.

"The misconduct inside the Vancouver Police Department is systemic
misconduct," said lawyer John Richardson, executive director of the Pivot
Legal Society, a non-profit legal advocacy group.

"It's not just a few bad apples, there's something deeper that's wrong with
the department.

"And that's why we need a public inquiry. We need to open it up and see
what's gone wrong here."

Police Chief Jamie Graham announced Saturday that two officers are under
investigation for allegedly lying under oath, fabricating evidence in
court, theft and withholding information about police brutality.

The announcement brings to eight the number of officers investigated this
year on allegations of corruption and police brutality.

Graham said the matters were "isolated cases," but the Pivot Legal Society
has documented 50 complaints of police misconduct in the Downtown Eastside,
including torture, use of excessive force, illegal search and seizure and
so-called starlight tours where people are driven to isolated areas and
dropped off.

"There seems to be a lot of misconduct involving violence and it seems to
be almost accepted inside the department," said Richardson. "We believe it
is a systemic problem."

Earlier this year six officers were charged with scooping suspected drug
dealers off Granville Street and beating them up in Stanley Park.

Police are also being investigated in the death of Frank Paul. Officers
dragged him out of jail and dumped him drunk and wet in an alley where he
died of exposure.

Julie Berg called for a public inquiry into the VPD after her brother, Jeff
Berg, died during an arrest.

The department is also being sued for allegedly beating up innocent
bystanders at a cancelled Guns 'N Roses concert last November.

Lawyer Cameron Ward, who has represented people and groups allegedly
mistreated by the police, also called for an inquiry.

"In my view, Chief Graham should not be trying to suggest that each one of
these incidents is an isolated thing," said Ward.

"He should be welcoming a public inquiry into the actions of the VPD, or
some other investigation to get at the root cause of these repeated problems.

"Right now with all of these allegations coming to the fore, I think it's
getting harder and harder for people to trust their police force."

Neil Boyd, a criminology professor at SFU, said it's important that the
chief acts.

"I think the kind of steps taken by the chief are obviously a first step
towards addressing any difficulties that the force may have," he said.
"Obviously, the fact that the police chief is taking the steps that he is
suggests that they're serious about dealing with this kind of problem."

The police have to be accountable, said Coun. Peter Ladner.

"Whatever inquiries are going on should be allowed to run their course and
then if people are not satisfied, that they've got to the bottom of the
issues, or if there's any suggestion that there's any coverup, that would
be the time to think about an independent [public] inquiry."

Mayor Larry Campbell, the chairman of the police board, was unavailable for
comment.