BC's Solicitor-General Awaiting Taser Investigation

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - B.C.'s recently-appointed Solicitor-General is saying very little with regards to the tasering of an 11-year-old boy by a member of the Prince George RCMP...

Shirley Bond will say she understands the concerns being expressed by the public when there is an incident of this nature, particularly when it involves a youth.  "The most important part of this process is understanding the facts and exactly what happened in this situation, so I have confidence that the West Vancouver Police Department - it's their Major Crimes Unit, members of their Major Crimes Unit - will do a very thorough job of looking at the situation."

"From my perspective, I'm not going to compromise that investigation by making any speculative comments," says Bond.

As it stands now in B.C., when there is a major incident involving a police officer, members from an outside force are called upon to conduct an independent and external investigation - such is the case with the WVPD investigating the circumstances surrounding the local RCMP member's decision to taser the young stabbing suspect on Thursday evening.

However, the new Solicitor-General hopes to have a civilian-led independent investigation office open in the province this year, completing the government's commitment to follow through on recommendations from the Braidwood Inquiry into the tasering death of Robert Dziekanski.

"I think, again," says Bond, "That will also be an important confidence-builder for the people of British Columbia."

During yesterday's news conference, West Vancouver Police Corporal Fred Harding went to great pains to allay the cynicism that goes with police investigating police, emphasizing the investigating officers will present a final report "the community can have faith in."  But he did says the WVPD will support any actions taken by the Solicitor-General to "enhance the system we have now."  The outgoing Superintendent of the Prince George RCMP detachment, Brenda Butterworth-Carr, already stated her support for a civilian-led investigative body earlier this year. (click here, for previous story)

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