Edmonton Police Watch

EDMONTON SUN

A man who complained a police officer kicked and pepper-sprayed him when he asked for help for an injured friend two years ago was making exaggerated claims, the cop’s defence said today.

Staff Sgt. Bill Newton, who is representing Const. Jan Cichon at a police disciplinary hearing, said the man, Scott Kurie, took a fighting stance when he approached the Norwood community police station on Aug. 20, 2005.

At the time, large crowds were leaving an Eskimos game, and Cichon, a veteran officer, feared Kurie was about to start a riot.

Kurie’s friend, Craig Hill, had earlier been hurt during a dispute with another group as the pair, who had been drinking, left the game with two others.

Kurie claims that when he knocked on the police station door to get help, Cichon told him to go away. Kurie kept knocking, however, and says the officer proceeded to kick him and pepper-spray him three times. The station was closed at the time, the hearing heard.

Cichon faces charges of neglect of duty, unlawful or unnecessary use of authority and insubordination for allegedly refusing to give his name or badge number to Kurie.

In his final arguments in the case, Newton said Cichon pepper-sprayed and kicked Kurie only once in order to stun him.

He also said inconsistent testimony from Kurie and his three friends undermined their claims.

The officer presenting the case for Edmonton police, however, questioned why, if Kurie and his friends were threatening a riot, Cichon didn’t call for help from a second officer in the station. The four friends, he said, deserved help from the officer.

EDMONTON SUN

A city man is suing the Edmonton Police Service after claiming an officer broke his ribs and then told him to stop whining and called him a wimp when he sought help.

In a $74,000 lawsuit against Const. Adam Woodburn and former acting police Chief Darryl da Costa, Danniel Kenneth Towpich alleges he was illegally detained and arrested and Woodburn used excessive force on him.

According to a statement of claim filed earlier this month, Towpich alleges he was driving to the downtown Greyhound bus terminal about 2 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2005, and had only minutes to get there to catch a bus to Grande Prairie.

Towpich claims he was on 111 Street and, as he approached 104 Avenue, he began to stop, slid a little past the stop line and then stopped. He then turned east.

Shortly after Towpich turned onto 104 Avenue, a police cruiser pulled in behind him with its flashers activated.

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EDMONTON JOURNAL

EDMONTON - Two Edmonton constables face a police disciplinary hearing for firing a Taser in 2004 at a man after he had surrendered and lay flat on the pavement.

Hector Jara, then 21, was driving a stolen car and was high on methamphetamine when he led police on a 27-kilometre chase through north Edmonton.

Police eventually stopped the car with spike belts near St. Albert Trail, but Jara got out and ran. Then he stopped and lay on the ground.

Constables Ryan Sparreboom and Darryl Fox were with four other officers when they surrounded Jara.

According to court records, one officer kicked Jara in the head, another pinned him with his knee, and then Sparreboom and Fox each fired their Tasers.

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CBC NEWS

Premier Ed Stelmach is considering a review of how police in Alberta use Tasers after the public release of a video that shows officers using a Taser on a distraught man at the Vancouver airport.

Robert Dziekanski, 40, died minutes after being zapped by a Taser on Oct. 14. The Polish man who spoke no English was reported to be acting strangely after spending 10 hours in a secure area, trying to connect with his mother.

On Thursday in the legislature, Alberta NDP Leader Brian Mason asked the premier for a provincial review into Taser use, saying at least five Albertans have been severely injured or died after being shot with a Taser by police.

“This is not a political issue,” said Mason. “This is a matter of ensuring the safety of our citizens and providing clear guidelines to the police so they know when to use Tasers and when not.”

In response, Stelmach said, “We’ll undertake that with the justice minister and solicitor general to see if we can look at the rules, review them and bring forward to the assembly the results.”

The Calgary Police Service reported no problems since it started using Tasers in 2005.

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EDMONTON SUN

A city cop today denied allegations that his former supervisor was having an affair with a co-worker who this summer launched a $4-million sexual-harassment lawsuit against Edmonton police.

“No, he did not,” Const. Mark Kubitza said when asked about the alleged affair between the senior officer and fellow Const. Angie Berube.

Kubitza was testifying at the disciplinary hearing into charges that Angie Berube’s husband, Const. Sebastien Berube, improperly left two strip-club servers unsupervised in the constables’ lounge at police headquarters, February 2005.

Sebastien also faces charges over his behaviour on Whyte Avenue during the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs and a 2005 crash with another driver, whom he allegedly threatened.

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EDMONTON SUN

Charges have been dismissed against an American company accused of offering bribes to high-ranking Edmonton police officers in an alleged photo radar scandal.

In a decision yesterday, provincial court Judge Michael Allen ruled the Crown had failed to present enough evidence at a preliminary hearing to warrant holding a trial on the charges against Affiliated Computer Services (ACS).

However, the judge did criticize the Dallas-based photo radar company and some of the police officers involved.

“Certainly, the evidence revealed a certain lack of concern for the police members involved for the appearance of propriety in dealing with ACS,” said Allen.

“In addition, the evidence revealed that members of ACS were not as sensitive as they might have been that their actions would cause a perception of conflict of interest for police officers involved in the contract renewal process,” said Allen in a lengthy written ruling.
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EDMONTON JOURNAL

A man who was shot six times by a city police officer after stabbing a police dog is demanding an independent review of a finding that the officer was blameless.

Police Chief Mike Boyd cleared Sgt. Bruce Edwards on Friday of criminal wrongdoing or misconduct in the shooting last year of Kirk Steele. The chief revealed he promoted Edwards from constable last week, after the completion of a lengthy internal investigation of the incident.

Boyd said the public can be satisfied the investigation by city police was thorough because the RCMP oversaw the work with “objectivity and impartiality,” and it was reviewed by the Calgary prosecutors’ office.

“I want the people of Edmonton and the people of this province to see the transparency in the thoroughness of our process,” Boyd said.

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EDMONTON/630 CHED

Edmonton Police say there’s no evidence to warrant charging one of their own after an officer repeatedly shot a suspect in July last year.

Kirk Steele, 34, took six bullets from Constable Bruce Edwards’ gun after Steele reportedly stabbed a police dog that attacked him. Chief Mike Boyd said the RCMP investigated and the Crown’s office in Calgary decided not to lay charges.

The Chief also said they looked into Steele’s allegation he had been the target of racial slurs and profanity by EPS officers at the time he was arrested. Boyd says, however, there was no evidence to support the allegations and there won’t be a disciplinary hearing.

Meanwhile, Steel was arrested in Calgary Thursday, and charged with several offences, including obstructing a peace officer. (js)