Police to Interview Tachie Incident Witnesses

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 09:14 AM

Local Tachie residents say 32 people have been asked to come to Prince George to take part in interviews as to what happened at the Tachie reserve early Sunday morning and the events around it.

The official release from the RCMP says that at 1:30 in the morning on August 20th, Officers of the Ft.St. James RCMP were on regular patrol in Tachie. According to the release, there was a large house party and police were performing "targeted enforcement for impaired drivers."

The release says "a large group of party goers crowded the police vehicle and became aggressive towards the police. The crowd began to swarm the police vehicles and blocked the road way as the officers attempted to leave the area. The member driving the police truck was unaware that a 23 year old female resident of Tachie was run over by the back wheel of the police vehicle as it was departing the scene"

The young woman was seriously injured. The release goes on to say how the officers attempted to provide medical aid, however "the crowd became more aggressive, hitting the police vehicle with rocks and bottles. The police exited the area and called for the BC Ambulance service to attend."

The victim was transported to the Stuart Lake Hospital in Ft. St James, and then to Prince George Regional Hosptial where she remains in stable condition.

A member of that group heading to the city says residents remain upset, saying the media has the story all togther wrong. The police may have phoned from their vehicles for an ambulance they say, but if they did, they were in the police car heading for town, because they did not stop. They also say there was another injury that started it all.

A few months ago residents say the non native police officer who was stationed on the reserve moved off the reserve, previously the native officer who had been stationed on the reserve was transferred out of the area.

According to a member of the group to be interviewed on this incident, some of the 32 have already come to Prince George to be interviewed. Speaking on the condition of not being named, the Tachie resident who spoke with Opinion250 says he had a pretty good view of the events, "And, the way I saw it was much different than what was reported."

The case in under investigation with the assistance of North District General Investigation Section, the Criminal Crash Investigation team and the Ft. St. James RCMP.

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Posted on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 09:14 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: thereasonableman on August 22 2006 10:49 AM

Well, do I bother to offer a 250 opinion ?
Count the minutes until it is deleted.

Somehow the lady ended up under the wheel of the police vehicle but they do not know how.
Maybe aliens lifted it up and put her there when they weren't looking.

Quick ! Go get the "censor fairy" !
I'm openly being critical of a government entity !
Somebody get Ben on the line, this is an emergency !

This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill !

I want Legal Dept. on standby, issue a generic disclaimer and apology, send a dozen roses to the chief of police, and publish a glowing story on something nice about the authorities, STAT !

Posted by: Don Mackenzie on August 22 2006 11:40 AM

OF course the witness saw it different then the police ..WAS HE DRUNK??????

Posted by: trusted on August 22 2006 2:37 PM

It was a wedding.
The police were not called out because of any disturbance.
They were there hoping to grab some impaired drivers. (Have to earn their keep-even in Fort St. James).
They were on Indian territory-like on the reserve. What were they on the reserve for?
I do believe the cops were actually looking for trouble in this instance.
Now how could they attempt to administer medical aid when they were probably frightened out of their wits and anxious to leave? They did not exit their police vehicles- felt it unsafe to do so I presume. After all-this was not a one on one
Now, due to their fine bit of police work-you better believe they will cost the taxpayers a great deal of money. 32 witnesses to come to
Prince George-their trip and expenses will be paid for-by the government.
Oh my-fools walk in where angels fear to tread!

Posted by: trusted on August 22 2006 2:41 PM

By the way "reasonableman."
If the censor fairy shows up-better yours gets removed first.
I have made every attempt to make mine non offensive.
I gather he does not read the postings every day, as about two dozen had accumulated before he leapt in.
In any event-we, who posted, have been soundly reprimanded.
I am truly stricken!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Chadermando on August 22 2006 3:50 PM

I believe in leaving the debate open, but I also believe DON crosses the line in his comments from time to time.

Obviously this is a case of RCMP profiling and harrassment.

Posted by: thereasonableman on August 22 2006 4:02 PM

By the way "trusted"...
To be fair to all, my comments were not only not deleted, but I received a personal response from Ben explaining his actions. He was away at the time before he jumped in.

Mine are not "offensive", just cutting or abrasive sometimes maybe. I rarely go on a personal attack of one single individual unless they have begged for it.

I get right to the point of the matter, and in this case, I think your comments are generally right on the money. This gives every appearance of the police disrupting the peace as opposed to keeping it. Houston....same, same.

Sorry that I don't believe anything I hear and only half of what I see. Society formed me that way.

Posted by: diplomat on August 22 2006 5:04 PM

My opinion stated below is not directly related to any special incidence but refers to experiences which I had personally in previous years:

Like clergymen/women all law enforcement people must practice what they preach by giving a good example ALWAYS, without exception.

Only by occupying the highest ground can they expect to be respected and trusted.

They must be squeaky clean when put under the special microscope that their profession will be subjected to from time to time.

Putting on a uniform does not entitle anyone to automatic respect, and that is a good thing.

That is my opinion and I sincerely wish that it does not offend anyone.

Posted by: spanky on August 22 2006 7:28 PM

what i want to know is, what type of tires do they use on those cop trucks and are they skull friendly?

Posted by: Simple Simon on August 22 2006 8:16 PM

Maybe they were "BIAS-ply", instead of radials.

Posted by: spanky on August 22 2006 9:09 PM

ya you don't want to get run over by a biased copper

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on August 22 2006 10:32 PM

All the posts that are left on here (no pun intended), seem to think the cops should not attend a drunken house party. Just let them rip. And if someone is beat up or shot, the same blabber mouths will jump in and blame the cops. Lots of politics and no common sense is how native ghettos are to be supposed to be run?

Whatever.

Posted by: Chadermando on August 22 2006 10:44 PM

Diplomat I will second that. Well put IMO. I think they used to call it fiduciary duty, or something like that, back in the old days.

Posted by: trusted on August 22 2006 10:49 PM

The police were performing "targeted enforcement for impaired drivers."
They were not there to attend a "drunken house party."
Might be an idea to read the article prior to becoming a so called "blabbermouth."
Now that would use "common sense."
And now an Indian reserve is a "ghetto?"
Whatever!

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on August 23 2006 8:04 AM

Trussed - read the story again. How many people do you think lived in that house?

Everyone is yakking about how it should have been done, so I expect to see some of you doing a ride along with the cops in these ghettos after dark. After all, it might just be the change your life needs. Wouldn't you like to be gang banged after being dragged out of the cruiser, all because you didn't stay inside and play video games?

Don't forget, some of you really pasty face fellows should put on some brown shoe polish to try and blend in.

Posted by: MrPG on August 23 2006 10:28 AM

I certainly wouldn't want a cop's job, dealing with drunks and idiots who have absolutely no respect for anyone... then having to face the scrutiny and judgement of people who have no idea what these guys and gals do on a day-to-day basis.

Posted by: trusted on August 23 2006 10:57 AM

Yama-it was a wedding party-held in a house. How many people go to a party in a house?
The cops were there to hopefully arrest some impaired drivers.
I do not believe they were there to wish them a happy life.
Remember 2 police vehicles were there. I assume one was the "paddy wagon." They hopefully would have an opportunity to fill it up.
No evidence they were there because they were called to attend.
There was no evidence an officer was in danger of being, as you put it, gang banged.
What does targeted enforcement for impaired drivers have to do with playing video games.
Best they have a native officer deal with the natives.
They do not like us white people very much anyhow. And they would especially not like a white person giving them orders on a regular basis.
Lots of hostility-and remember the officers were on their territory, and looking for trouble.
Not wise.

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on August 23 2006 1:09 PM

Actually it's a fact that sticking a native in a reserve as a cop is a very nasty situation for that cop. At the first opportunity the other natives will drag him down and crush him. Looks good for the political optics, and for people that think North of 60 is real, but it doesn't work and certainly doesn't last very long.

As for the cops showing up to bust up this house party, you know darn well this was a bunch of drunks whooping it up. How safe do you think the neighbours and children were? That's what cops do - it's their job to show up where they are not wanted, or at least not wanted by the trouble makers.

All you are hearing from in the news is the trouble makers, anyone that supported the police in the ghetto is going to get their head kicked in.

Politics before reality, eh Busted?

Posted by: trusted on August 23 2006 3:27 PM

Jeez-the cops were not there to bust up a house party.
And the wedding party was being held on an Indian Reservation.
The cops were there to attempt to target impaired drivers.
Where do you get the information they were trouble makers prior to the arrival of the police?
Truth before fiction---eh polcat?

Posted by: Chester on August 23 2006 8:07 PM

Another unfortunate incident involving alcohol, natives and RCMP. This isn't new. Ask any Native, ask any RCMP.

What's the solution? What can be learned to reduce the chances of it happening again? Who knows. Everyone wants to blame somebody else.

Nobody wants to take responsibility for their own behavior.

The Natives want to have the ability to do whatever they want without interference from anyone. Until someone gets hurt or killed. Then everyone else is to blame for their situation.

The RCMP on the other hand have a responsibility to protect lives and maintain peace in all of our community's. It's not just about the natives. So, just what is it we expect them to do? They are damned if they do and they are damned if they don't.

We are so critical of the RCMP when they are not sitting outside our local drinking establishments between 2:00 am and 4:00 am and loading up all of the impaired drivers leaving each and every night. But, when it happens on a reserve, they are treated like they are trespassing.

Decide what kind of protection you want from your RCMP and support them. You couldn't pay me enough to put up with the abuse, the hatred, the lack of appreciation our RCMP receive. Considering the type of people they have to deal with on a daily basis, I'm surprised they don't all quit. Chester

Posted by: YamaDooPolCat on August 23 2006 11:20 PM

Hello Qwetcretyh, since when is Vanderhoof an Indian Reserve, and the female/aboriginal/cop sounds more like a political correct appointment than someone capable of holding their own in a fistfight.
As Chief she'd be great, but a peace keeping cop, I doubt it, or at least not on her own.

Posted by: opinion in fsj on August 25 2006 11:50 PM

I'd just like to mention that the police officer in question has a genuine heart to help the native people in this area. He's been known to give rides home to people he's had to take out of vehicles for intoxication. These guys have an impossible job up here - and thankless too! The police do not "fill up the paddy wagon" in Tache.

Posted by: trusted on August 27 2006 8:05 AM

Well, it would be rather interesting to know if they were called out on a complaint re that wedding party being held in that home!
I think it would be safe to say the job of being a police officer can be exasperating, but not hardly "impossible." Nor is it "thankless."
As I have stated previously, we could not exist in this world without law enforcement.
Of course, we realize the job is high risk, and we do appreciate them, but they must realize they are not permitted to "throw caution to the winds" because they wear the uniform.
This last mishap will be very costly-in more ways than one.
That officer can probably look forward to a hasty transfer.
All in all, it surely was a bad call.

Posted by: Big_B on August 28 2006 9:28 AM

Uh Yama,

That female cop in the Vanderhoof detatchment, has a long and storied career as a law enforcement officer. In 1980 she was the first female constable to be assigned to Vanderhoof, with the primary goal of having her work with the people on Sai'kuz reserve. She married a local boy and has stayed in Sai'kuz for almost 26 years now, outside of a stint in her home town on Fort St. James, and being the head of Aboriginal policing in Western Canada at headquarters in Vancouver.

Her reputation is that of a cop who is fair but will haul you in if you step over the line. She has been asked to be a corporal, like her brother is here in PG, but she chose to remain a constable so she would not lose touch with the community in which she works.

You would be surprised to meet her and realize she is not only one hell of a cop, she is a great human being.

Yama, if you think any Aboriginal person who is gainfully employed, is a politically motivated charity case, then you really have a problem, because not every Aboriginal person is like that. Some of us make it on own merit, in spite of people like you who think the bar is lowered for us.

PS. I doubt you would last 1 minute in a fistfight with Constable Erickson. She would clean your clock.