Sounds like pre election stress syndrome. He must have listened to some of the debates on the radio. Wonder how many people are driving around with guns looking for their MLA.

Good thing he didn't get to watch last nights Federal Debate, that would stress anyone out.

Maybe he was leary about being taser'd

I imagine the ertfuzz felt a lot let down, having spit polished their machine pistols with excess adrenaline and not getting to use them. The ominous spectre of "numerous long guns" oooh, scary. Any excuse to deploy the forces eh boys?
The man is probably a hunter who had a fight with his girlfriend and left town.
metalman.

So what was he officially arrested for? Resisting arrest?

What was he initially being arrested for? Being distraught?

We are not being told everything. With the information at hand I have to conclude that our police forces were improperly used. As far as I know being distraught is not a crime and if it is better build bigger jails. Now the man's truck has been impounded and it doesn't matter weather he is charged or not he will have a towing fee and an impound fee to pay. Some times life sucks.

It continous to amaze me the total lack of empathy in any of the posts so far, for both the driver as well as the police who are put into extreme danger on a daily bssis. What a bunch of drivel, what are you thinking? But I conclude that you are not thinking, just opinionated, nothing better to do. I hope and pray that none of you ever need assistance. But I can just imagine that when you need to call 911 you will complain about response time etc...

Agreed, ynot. There's too much speculation and complaining. Seems like the police are damned if they do, and damned if they don't.

These same folks would be here complaining that the cops didn't do enough if this dude went off his nut and started shooting in downtown PG.

Its obvious that the dude had issues given the fact that he wouldn't exit the vehicle once the police stopped him and he resisted arrest. A person who is of normal capacity would have no issues dealing with the officers at the time.

"these same folks would be here complaining that the cops did'nt do enough if this dude went off his nut and started shooting in downtown PG"

Thanks mercenary, but I'll speak for myself, I for one would not react as you suggest, that would be illogical.
Your hypothetical situation is a far cry from the actual scenario that went down yesterday out on the highway.

If you can't read between the lines, let me help you; Although most of us respect law enforcement, we are thankfully permitted to have an opinion, and some of us feel that the police often display inappropriate force to control a situation, witness the numerous
"deployment of electronic control device" as the p.r. hacks like to say, (we say Taser) One thing is sure; we do not have the whole story. I read in the paper this morning that the "long guns" were actually in the guys' trailer, which is a sensible and perfectly legal method of transport,assuming they were not loaded, so why do the cops or the media seemingly want to play up the long gun angle?
("long guns" another favourite p.r. cop phrase, sounds more dangerous, doesn't it?)
You might consider that ordinary law abiding citizens may wish to retain certain rights, such as ownership of guns.
metalman.

I guess if I were a cop an I had to venture into a situation where I might have to make a split second life or death decision, I would probably use 'more force than is necessary' and err on the side of caution as well.

This approach does probably escalate situations to a more dangerous point than it might have otherwise, but taking it too casually might be just as dangerous.

It's great that we can armchair speculate how much force in a given situation might be 'inappropriate', but I think it would be an entirely different matter to actually experience some of the things these men and women of law enforcement experience on a day to day basis. I can't say I've ever walked a mile in their shoes, so I tend not to get too picky about what the definition of 'excessive force' might be every time one of these stories is reported.

Wow what a close call.

A "distraught man" driving a truck pulling a 15' flatbed. And now we find out "he had access to firearms" and even worse "a subsequent search of the suspect vehicle revealed numerous long guns."

My god what next. Can't we find a way to keep long guns out of the hands people who pull 15' trailers.
I wish they would have reported what kind of truck he was driving. I will now be looking at all people who drive pickups pulling trailers as a possible threat.

Just to be on the safe side I will keep my cell phone by my side just in case I see one.

Sounds like it could be any one of any of the 10 million or so gun owners in Canada.

Quaddin, did you read the story? I'm guessing not.

Apparently the man was distraught enough to need a negotiator and the cops had information that he might have firearms with him. Nobody got hurt, but you can't argue the potential wasn't there.

It is true that we cannot judge the police based on limited information fed to us by the media, but we also can't ignore the fact that the police need to be monitored by someone because they too are only human and may make a mistake or two once in a while, and just maybe there might be a display of bad judgement by a cop. If they know we are aware of their actions, they might just try a little harder to be fair and just to all people.
metalman.

to ynot and swingline remember the poor dude at the Vancouver airport. His only crime was that he couldn't speak english and it got him tasered to death. What should happen to a disdraught person. If that is the only reason he was pulled over than some one should be tasered for wasting police time and taxpayers money. If there were threats invovled we have a diffrent case otherwise I would be very reluctant to step out of my vechile when surrounded by armed people and would want negotiators lawyers and tv and press before I got out of my vechile

The other story says he was a suspect wanted in Yellowknife.

And wasnt the "poor dude" in Vancouver throwing things and freaking out in an International Airport?

People seem to forget that little tidbit eh Interceptor? They guy was a wanted fugitive and the cops took him down. End of story.

No need to read between the lines here. Pretty well all spelled out.

wanted for what. speeding tickets. You would think that a wanted fugitive would pick a better means of escape rather than pulling a 15 foot trailer. the poor dude at the airport did freak out after a very long time at the airport plus one rule of tazer use is not to use it multipe times