Geekman's World: Pigs

If you have not followed this story in the news, I suggest you start.

Almost a month ago now, Robert Dziekanski, an arriving passenger at the Vancouver airport, became agitated while detained in customs. He started throwing chairs around, and eventually security called in the RCMP to handle the situation. The confrontation was brief and ended with Dziekanski's death. He was tasered by officers and did not survive.

The details have been unclear for almost a month. Paul Pritchard, a bystander who videotaped the event, has been fighting tooth and nail to get his tape back during that time. Now, thanks to the efforts of that young man, what really happened has been unveiled to the public. And it's disgusting.

When four RCMP officers arrived at the scene, they were informed by security that the man spoke no English. It was less than 30 seconds after their arrival, with Dziekanski in no way threatening them, that one of the officers taserd Dziekanski. They hit him three or four times. He falls to the ground, convulsing.

This gross lack of judgement and excessive use of force is disturbing enough, but what is even more unsettling is that the RCMP lied to the public. They claimed that three RCMP officers approached the man, that he was still throwing chairs around when they confronted him, and that they tasered him twice. These are all lies. The truth is that four RCMP officers with incredibly poor judgement got away with murder because they wanted to try out their taser and finish the situation quickly, rather than do their fucking jobs and talk down a frightened civillian who didn't speak English.

The video aired tonight on CBC news, and I have never been so sickened by an abuse of police power in my entire life. I for one will never trust the RCMP again unless these sorry excuses for officers are dishonourably discharged. They don't deserve to wear the uniform.

While I find the video every bit as disturbing as you do one thing about this post jumps out at me every time I read it. The RCMP as an organization is not the one responsible for this criminal act, nor are they responsible for releasing lies to the public regarding it. The officers in question have obviously falsified reports to their superiors in order to cover up their wrongdoing. By doing just that, the RCMP press release regarding this incedent is based on these reports. The mere fact that these officers have attempted to cover up their acts says to me that they recognized the wrongness of their actions prior to the media shit storm and attempted to cover their asses. I agree wholeheartedly with you that all of the officers involved in the tasering AND in the cover up should be punished, however, I don't believe I could be happy with just a dishonorable discharge in the case of the four directly involved. I would think there should be enough evidence for a criminal investigation into the conduct of these four offcers. I am reserving judgement against the RCMP while I wait to see what action they will take to respond.

And yet right now these officers are still at work. Not even put on mere desk duty...
As Jesse pointed out to me when I mentioned a similar sentiment about the RCMP talking to the public, the RCMP did have possession of the footage the day it happened. Now, if they didn't watch it before making a statement then that's a bad move on their part.

As Angela pointed out, I don't buy the argument that the RCMP didn't know the facts from the start. They either watched the video that they possessed on day one, then lied when they made their statement; or they didn't watch the video and stupidly took the officers at their words for the statement. So they're either liars or stupid: which is it?

The taser has become a "quick fix" solution by law enforcement officers unwilling to go through the motions of negotiation or physical restraint. But what we must remember is that ANY weapon can be a lethal weapon given the circumstances. Therefore, any weapon should always be a weapon of absolute last resort. I for one, don't feel that the officers exhausted most their options in the space of 25 seconds.

It's worth mentioning that both my parents' families have histories of heart disease, which means I likely do as well. So I sincerely hope that I don't find myself on the receiving end of a grumpy police officer's taser gun when I'm 41 years old.

Hehe, I felt that this post needed some responses under it. I stand corrected on the possesion of the tape issue, though I never once said I supported the actions of the RCMP in this. I heard on the radio today that a senior advisor to the RCMP had made recomentations on the use of tasers and that procedures had been put in place to prevent just such an incedent from occuring. The problem is, none of the procedures put in place by the RCMP themselves were adhered to in the case of Mr. Dziekanski. For one the taser is not supposed to be used more than once on any individual, another the taser is not supposed to be used on any subject not directly endangering the safety of the officer using it or the public, and after the taser is used the subject is supposed to be restrained in a way that will allow them to breathe freely and easily. I agree with your sentement that these officers were lazy. I'm sick thinking that they're still on duty and that, as yet, the RCMP han't anounced any changes to that in the near future. I wonder how they will approach disciplining these officers. If they bring criminal charges, and I recognize that's unlikely, then wouldn't this become a murder investigation? I hope that these officers are quaking in their boots right now, it's the least they deserve.

I read in the Province paper that the Polish guy was 6'9". If it was not just a typo (as I have not heard this until now), damn. No wonder.

The problem is that the police are policing themselves.They think they can cover up much of their wrong doing whereas in other parts of the country they are not accountable just to themselves. That stopped quite a while ago. If it hadn't been for that video they would have gotten away with it.The other problem is the airport. They were grossly negligent in leaving someone in that area for that length of time even after the mother requested help. They can't continue to operate like this with the worlds eye on them. They need to do better.