Friday, April 18, 2008

Skytrain : Ticket or TASER™

On Wednesday CBC reported BC transit police stun fare cheaters with TASER™ :
"In one case, a person ran from transit cops during a check for free-riders and "the Taser was deployed as the subject fled," the documents say. Another person who didn't pay the fare was arrested but "grabbed onto the platform railing and refused to let go … the Taser was deployed."

A Taser may be used when "the situation demands control over a non-compliant, suicidal, potentially violent, or violent individual and lower force options were ineffective," according to the transit police policy."

Note the transit police policy does not include clinging to a frigging railing on its list of occasions justifying use of a TASER™

Today's G&M : Transit police deny tasering fare evaders
"The police force that patrols Vancouver's Skytrain system says it has never used a taser on a rider for refusing to pay a fare, contrary to documents released under provincial freedom of information laws.
Insp. Bob Huston said at a news conference Friday that officers only use force to ensure the safety of passengers.

“We do not, have not and will never taser those in our care for non-payment of fares,” Insp. Huston said."

Well of course not, Bob, it would be ridiculous to zap someone over "non-payment of fares".
No, according to your own incident reports, you only zap them for clinging to a railing to avoid arrest for "non-payment of fares" :

"File 2008-3246 offence - Obstruct Peace Officer
Officer were checking subject for no fare paid on Skytrain. Subject refused to identify self and was placed under arrest. During the arrest procedure the subject became uncooperative and grabbed onto the platform railing and refused to let go. After several warnings to the subject to stop resisting arrest and the subject refusing to comply with the officers' demands, the Taser was deployed and the subject taken into control.
Internal review re the Use of Force was conducted by the Supervisor and the Inspector of Operations. They concluded the action taken, by the member(s), was within the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police Service (GVTAPS) policy and training standards and within the guidelines set out in the National Use of Force model."

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