Edmonton Police Watch

An Edmonton city police detective has been charged following alleged threats made late last week.

Police received a complaint regarding alleged phone calls late last week and laid charges today.

Police claim the incident took place when the officer was on duty, but was in relation to a personal matter.

Whitfield McLean, 40, has been charged with two counts of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm.

He has been employed with EPS for 15 years, and has been suspended with pay.

via Metro - Police detective charged with uttering threats.

An Edmonton man who was shot by a city cop in August after reportedly refusing to drop a knife he was carrying has launched a $1-million lawsuit against police.

In a statement of claim filed Jan. 5, Percy Davis alleges he was pepper sprayed and shot by Const. Myles Stromner, despite the fact he was retreating from the officer.

Davis, 26, claims he suffered serious and painful injuries requiring hospitalization, including the loss of one of his lungs, and has lost income and earning capacity and suffered a permanent deterioration of his quality of life.

The statement of claim, which names Stromner, eight unidentified police officers and Chief Mike Boyd as defendants, also alleges Davis was unlawfully detained, beaten and zapped with a Taser by police on several occasions.

Davis alleges he was living with his parents, Glen and Rose Davis, at their 3008 113 Ave. home when four city police officers showed up on Jan. 4, 2007.

Once inside, the officers allegedly ordered the parents to remain on the second floor while they interviewed Davis.

The officers then unlawfully handcuffed Davis, punched him in the jaw, used a Taser on him, confiscated his Alberta Health and Treaty cards and forced him to submit to a drug test, according to the statement of claim.

Davis also alleges he was unlawfully detained, searched, beaten and stunned by a Taser by four other unidentified officers sometime later in 2007. He also alleges he had previous dealings with Stromner prior to the Aug. 8 shooting.

On Aug. 29, 2007, Davis alleges Stromner came to his house and asked him to come outside to talk.

When he complied, Stromner allegedly handcuffed him and detained him inside Stromner’s police vehicle.

Davis alleges Stromner then abused his authority by insulting, demeaning and belittling him and stomped on his bare foot while releasing him and also shoved him.

Davis also claims Stromner later unlawfully stopped him and falsely accused him of stealing a car.

The lawsuit, which seeks aggravated and punitive damages as a result of the alleged flagrant abuse of authority and high-handed and malicious police conduct, as well as $50,000 in damages on behalf of Davis’ parents, alleges Boyd is liable for the actions of the EPS members.

A statement of defence has not yet been filed.

Statements of claim and statements of defence contain allegations which have not been proven.

Meanwhile, Davis has been charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace and assaulting a peace officer stemming from the 9:30 a.m. Aug. 8 shooting in the parking lot of Abbottsfield Mall.

At the time, police said the officer had responded to a report of a man with a knife and had asked the man several times to drop the weapon. When he didn’t comply, the officer deployed pepper spray, which didn’t seem to have an effect. The officer then fired two shots, said police.

via edmontonsun.com - Edmonton News - City man shot by police files $1-million suit.

EDMONTON - An Edmonton police officer accused of misusing his Taser on a 15-year-old boy in 2003 pleaded not guilty at his disciplinary hearing Thursday.

Const. Todd Hudec is charged with two counts of discreditable conduct and three counts of insubordination under the provincial Police Act. His two-day hearing is scheduled for March 5 and 6.

In 2006, the boy had his break-and-enter charges stayed after a judge found a “shocking abuse of police powers.” But when criminal assault charges were brought against Hudec in 2007, he was acquitted.

The teen testified Hudec showed him the Taser while he was in the back of the police car and threatened to use it when they got to the station. He says Hudec showed it to him again, then used it on his leg while he was being strip-searched.

He testified Hudec said, “This is for lying to the police.”

Hudec testified he used the Taser after the teen became aggressive while officers were trying to search him. The boy told police he was unarmed, but a pat-down uncovered an eight-inch dagger and two smaller knives. During Hudec’s assault trial, Provincial Court Judge Ray Bradley said it was the boy’s lies that tipped the balance and made Hudec’s use of force “not unreasonable.”

The insubordination charges stem from Hudec’s alleged failure to get medical attention for the boy and to properly document the incident.

via Edmonton cop pleads not guilty to misusing Taser on teen.