RCMP apologize for kicking man's teeth out

[A_Britishcolumbian]

did this incident really occur? the rcmp say it did. why was no one held accountable?

RCMP apologize, settle with P.G. man

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

FRANK PEEBLES
CITIZEN STAFF
[email protected]
After seven years, a Prince George man's legal battle with RCMP over a physical battle at a Surrey home has come to an end.

Dwayne Washington and the RCMP came to an out-of-court settlement before a 21-day court hearing scheduled for the new year.

RCMP E-Division spokesman Sgt. Rob Vermeulen said only "I can confirm that the matter has been resolved," and provided no other comment.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed by Washington, although he confirmed there was a financial component and an official apology component.

"The apology was no small thing," said Washington. "The apology is meaningful. I felt it was sincere. I felt it was honest."

The incident between Washington and RCMP officers took place in 2007. Washington was alone at his brother's house in Surrey when members of the RCMP's Emergency Response Team converged on the home in order, they said, to enforce a child maintenance order pertaining to his brother. He provided identification, he said, establishing he was not the person they sought. When Washington dutifully answered their initial questions and attempted to end the conversation after that, he told The Citizen, the police officers allegedly attacked him to the point some of his teeth were knocked out, boot marks were visible on his skin, and he needed medical attention for the painful wounds to his head, neck, torso and limbs.

Furthermore, said Washington, on top of the substantial beating, he went to five different police offices attempting to lodge a complaint and was turned away each time.

"They didn't stand a chance in court. There was a real recklessness on the part of these officers, many laws were broken by them, they know they were wrong and they know they committed abhorrent crimes, so why are they not being disciplined? And why is the public not shown what that discipline is? The RCMP didn't get away with it, but those two officers got away with it. They just learned again that they can act with impunity. They can act above the law."

Washington said he felt sorry for the many well-behaving members of the RCMP who are now tainted by this incident, at least in his eyes, and also wonders how good even those ones are if they stand by apparently indifferently throughout his seven years of striving for justice.

"There needs to be awareness. There needs to be a culture of change," said Washington. "There was some of that when (then-Minister of Justice) Shirley Bond established the Independent Investigation Office but it doesn't go far enough. I'm going to stay active, because the same thing could happen to anyone.

"The police seem to have a really hard time deescalating a situation," he said. "I will never answer my door to the RCMP again. Never. That trust is gone. And any police force needs to have the trust and confidence of its public."

Washington now lives in Alberta. He said he still attends counselling to deal with the mental effects of the incident.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/arti ... ith-pg-man

[Fancy]

did this incident really occur? the rcmp say it did. why was no one held accountable?

RCMP apologize, settle with P.G. man

NOVEMBER 21, 2013

FRANK PEEBLES
CITIZEN STAFF
[email protected]
After seven years, a Prince George man's legal battle with RCMP over a physical battle at a Surrey home has come to an end.

Dwayne Washington and the RCMP came to an out-of-court settlement before a 21-day court hearing scheduled for the new year.

RCMP E-Division spokesman Sgt. Rob Vermeulen said only "I can confirm that the matter has been resolved," and provided no other comment.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed by Washington, although he confirmed there was a financial component and an official apology component.

http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/arti ... ith-pg-man

Maybe there is more to the story and why didn't he take his day in court?

[NOTYOU]

There are a number of reasons why he may have settled out of court..
1. 21 days of court hearings
2. The incident happened in Surrey, therefore, that is where court hearings would be held and the article states he now lives in Alberta, so 21 days of possible hotel/motel expenses, loss of earnings
3. The incident happened in 2007, so after 6 years he may have felt it was time to end the mental pain and suffering without being dragged through anymore mental hardship

This is just one of many articles of late, showing the levels of that some members of the RCMP sink to.

[Ranger66]

“why didn't he take his day in court?”

My thought would be a substantial monetary compensation so that the potential 21 days of of bad headlines were circumvented.

[NOTYOU]

“why didn't he take his day in court?”

My thought would be a substantial monetary compensation so that the potential 21 days of of bad headlines were circumvented.

And the only reason for "substantial monetary compensation" would be if the RCMP member was definitely in the wrong...

[Ranger66]

“would be if the RCMP member was definitely in the wrong...”

If you are to be judged by your actions then I agree it would appear that the RCMP have diplomatically acknowledged they were wrong.

[dogspoiler]

I can;t help but wonder why it would take the Emergency Response Team to serve a Child maintainance order.

[rvrepairnut]

I can;t help but wonder why it would take the Emergency Response Team to serve a Child maintainance order.

Funny I was asking myself the same question.

[Hassel99]

I can;t help but wonder why it would take the Emergency Response Team to serve a Child maintainance order.

Sounds like a very PC way of saying they are looking for a child kidnapped by a parent.

As to why he did not go through with a trail, sounds like they gave what he wanted so no point in putting himself through a trial.


As for the op, how do you know that no officers where disciplined?

[A_Britishcolumbian]

while we have to still have to take everything the victim, mr. washington, says as allegation, it is mr. washington's allegation that no one was disciplined. mr. washington tells us he received an apology as part of the settlement, and we can only guess as to whether or not he sought to see the offending members disciplined.

"They didn't stand a chance in court. There was a real recklessness on the part of these officers, many laws were broken by them, they know they were wrong and they know they committed abhorrent crimes, so why are they not being disciplined? And why is the public not shown what that discipline is? The RCMP didn't get away with it, but those two officers got away with it. They just learned again that they can act with impunity. They can act above the law." mr.washington's words from the op.

[goatboy]

while we have to still have to take everything the victim, mr. washington, says as allegation, it is mr. washington's allegation that no one was disciplined. mr. washington tells us he received an apology as part of the settlement, and we can only guess as to whether or not he sought to see the offending members disciplined.

"They didn't stand a chance in court. There was a real recklessness on the part of these officers, many laws were broken by them, they know they were wrong and they know they committed abhorrent crimes, so why are they not being disciplined? And why is the public not shown what that discipline is? The RCMP didn't get away with it, but those two officers got away with it. They just learned again that they can act with impunity. They can act above the law." mr.washington's words from the op.

He says first " why are they not being disciplined" and then in the next sentence "why is the public not shown what the discipline is"? Which is it, they were or were not disciplined?

[rvrepairnut]

Goatboy(quote)He says first " why are they not being disciplined" and then in the next sentence "why is the public not shown what the discipline is"? Which is it, they were or were not disciplined?[/quote]

I read this as their not being disciplined(that he,s aware of) and if they were why were the public not notified of the details of the discipline

[steven lloyd]

I can;t help but wonder why it would take the Emergency Response Team to serve a Child maintainance order.

Sounds like there is a lot missing from this story.

[my5cents]

Maybe there is more to the story and why didn't he take his day in court?

I see comments like this so often.

(right after being involved in a car accident) "I'm going to sue ICBC !"

(in this case) "....why didn't he take his day in court ?"

Ah,,, maybe the other party offered a sum of money that would be likely as much as the court would award. If so, forcing this to trial and then getting equal or less than the sum the third party paid into court as the sum they would be willing to settle for, puts the court costs on the plaintiff even though he/she won the case.

If I cause a financial loss to you that is worth $10,000 and you start a law suit. If I offer you the $10,000 and pay that much into the court as an offer to settle and you stubbornly "want your day in court" and at the end of the trial you get $10,000 or less, guess who pays the costs ??? YOU DO.

So this idea that a plaintiff has something to hide or doesn't want something to come out at trial and thus settled before court isn't always the case.

[Donald G]

(attack removed - fluffy)