Complaints Commissioner Says Koester Was Justified
By 250 News
The Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints against the RCMP, Paul Kennedy has released his report on the actions of the RCMP in the October, 2005 shooting death of Ian Bush in the Houston detachment of the RCMP.
Kennedy found that Constable Paul Koester “had reasonable apprehension of death” and was justified in using the level of force he chose to use. Still, he makes 21 specific findings, and 9 recommendations, and numerous recommendations about the actions of individual officers.
The full report can be viewed here http://www.cpc-cpp.gc.ca/DefaultSite/Reppub/index_e.aspx?articleid=1583#FACN
One of the key recommendations is that all RCMP detachments have automatic CCTV equipment installed.
The other key recommendations are
- RCMP amend field training evaluation procedures to ensure that the evaluation of new members is not completed until outstanding member investigations, of a serious nature, are concluded;
- RCMP develop policy to provide direction to on-scene RCMP members in major cases involving investigation of police conduct; and
- RCMP develop a media and communications strategy specifically for police-involved shootings that recognizes the need for regular, meaningful and timely updates to the media and to the public.
The media strategy would have helped the public understand that the RCMP have to take several steps that are not required when doing an investigation which involves an ordinary citizen.
Kennedy has also made a number of adverse findings and several recommendations, some of which have been partially or completely rejected by the Commissioner of the RCMP. Many of the recommendations apply not only to RCMP members in Houston, British Columbia and RCMP "E" Division, but also to RCMP members on a national level. For this reason, Mr. Kennedy is providing this report to Solicitors General in RCMP contract policing provinces, in the hope his actions in this regard will further the debate on issues that are national in scope.
Ian Bush was shot in the back of the head by Constable Paul Koester in October of 2005. The 22 year old had been arrested for having an open beer, and for failing to give his proper name to police. Constable Koester testified at a Coroner’s inquest earlier this year, that there was a fight, Ian got on top of him and was choking him to death, he pulled his gun, hit Ian on the head several times, then fired the fatal shot.
A blood spatter expert testified at the same inquest, that Koester’s version of events was not supported by the blood spatter evidence. He testified the shooting could not have taken place as Koester had described.
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Posted by: heidi1555 on November 29 2007 10:46 AM
Just heard that on the radio and am still sitting here shaking my head.
Why am I not surprised? I expected it.
"I concluded that the North District Major Crime Unit conducted a highly professional investigation"
Highly professional??? Ignoring major evidence is considered highly professional???
My conclusion? Obviously, evidence gathered at a crime scene is irrelevant unless it works in the favour of the (accused) RCMP member(s).
And before the local RCMP members that post (and gloat) here start jumping down my throat, remember this: evidence=proof=truth.
No more to say now, I'm just too choked.