ABBOTSFORD DRUG RAID OFFICERS OFF TACTICAL TEAM

Two members of the Abbotsford police department were suspended Monday
for one year from the emergency response team for their actions in a
1999 drug raid in which a pit bull terrier was shot at a child's
birthday party.

Officers Matthew Sekela and David Schmirler received the suspensions
from retired Supreme Court justice Peter Millward who recommended they
be reassigned within the department and take specialized training
before applying to the team again.

Millward didn't elaborate on the type of training except to say that it
should be designed to help team leader Sekela make more appropriate
decisions and help Schmirler -- who shot the pit bull -- to make more
mature judgments.

The Abbotsford team, which consisted of six highly-trained and heavily-
armed officers, was the subject of lengthy internal and external
investigations in which Sekela and Schmirler were eventually found
guilty of unprofessional conduct.

The suspensions imposed Monday come one year after the team raided a
suspected drug house in Abbotsford on July 3, 1999 that was occupied by
14 adults and 14 children, aged one month to nine years, who were
celebrating the birthday of Ronald Raber's seven-year-old son, Scott.

Despite hours of surveillance, police said they did not know so many
people were inside. When police entered, a pit bull terrier bit an
officer on the upper left arm, and Schmirler came to his colleague's
aid by shooting the dog twice.

Witnesses at the hearing testified that blood from the dog splattered
on some of the children and on a mother breastfeeding her baby.

The two officers had no comment at the conclusion of the Police
Complaints Commission hearing.

However, Abbotsford Police Chief Barry Daniel made a public apology for
the team's actions, saying he was also accountable for what happened
during the raid. At the time, he was the duty officer and sitting in a
car on a neighbouring street.

"It's an anomaly," Daniel told reporters after the hearing.

"We don't go out to kids' birthday parties and shoot dogs, there's no
intent to do that. Things went wrong as they sometimes do. We've
learned from it, we're a wiser, stronger force and we'll carry on and
provide the service to the citizens of Abbotsford that they expect."

Sekela's lawyer Paul Jantzen described his client as a "highly-
educated, highly-trained and experienced officer" who often showed
compassion toward others.

"He never tried to avoid responsibility for his actions [and] he deeply
regrets that others suffered from the decision he made," he said.

Schmirler's lawyer Kevin Woodall said the officer's conduct was an
"error in judgment." He said Schmirler feels sick about the incident
and would have handled the matter much differently if he'd known there
were children present.

Woodall also said the Schmirler received a chief constable's award for
bravery while serving with the New Westminster police department in
1990.

Millward described the Abbotsford tactical team as "a powerful and
dangerous weapon" that "is not readily deterred or deflected."

Millward dismissed complaints against three other Abbotsford officers
connected to the raid.

After the raid, a male tenant was charged with several drug offences,
including possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking and
possession of heroin.