Below find material I presented to the Committee Of the Whole (COW), Jun. 24 - now/here expanded - based on Police Chief Holland's appearance at the COW, May 27, together with Vice-Chief/Inspector Burkart. To ostensibly give a very long-overdue explanation as to the whys of sudden Tasers in Nelson.
The Chief's invitation by Council was prompted by my presentation arguing against the Tasers' re-introduction, COW, Apr. 22.
COW, May 27
Although to-the-point sample questions and reasons for them had been available to all councilors - in a nudge from me - questions actually asked Chief Holland didn't go beyond "How about using Tasers on dogs?" There was deliberate avoidance of core-questions asked and information volunteered. Making this appearance of the Chief and his remarkably look-alike/sound-alike Vice totally pointless Taser-wise - but one does get an idea of who they are and how they're handling stuff.
So pointless that the Nelson Star didn't run this COW until weeks later - a lukewarm space-filler. And the Nelson Daily - although mentioning it sooner - only referred readers to a previous article. Neither one addressing the lack of key-points made by anyone and the general soft-pedaling by the cops for us idiots!
I had also urged Council several times to invite a representative of the Nelson Police Board (NPB) together with the Chief, because this Board is nominally in charge of police-policies and oversight. Thus it was deeply involved in the re-introduction of Tasers to Nelson. Behind very closed and very secretive doors! It's usual modus operandi!
Yet (because of that?) the NPB was not directly/actively represented at this COW. According to the agenda - published several days prior to the meeting - it was not invited. If it had been - before the agenda was set - it must have declined.
And here's the kicker: The Board's chair - the mayor! - was present as mayor. Or something - sitting among Council-members at the Round Table! Not making a move or sound! But certainly there there! What with the stupidity of provincial politics mandating centralization of the mayor-and-chair jobs in one person - in Nelson anyway this seems to have led to an ambiguous solo-act. And - be still poor heart - there's more! Vice-Chief Burkart is also in charge of the Nelson Bylaw Enforcement Department - while bylaws in themselves are the domain of Council. So, even with bylaw-enforcement - like snow-shoveling - being what it is: Council won't move on any of it because the relationship between tops of City Hall and the cop-shop is rather umbilical. And quiet about it - so you (and Council!) just never know!
A sackful of politically very hot potatoes! Thus councilors - as often in City Hall survival-mode - despite supposedly being THE decision-makers in Nelson - once again and predictably cave at this COW! No questions, Your Honor!
Round and round we goes;
Where that lands us
No-one knows!
The Police Chief
Allowing the Chief's scarily simplistic assertions all along to remain unchallenged - when he voiced oddities like:
The Taser is not lethal force, it's high-intermediate
Yet Robert Dziekanski's death was declared a homicide, and - including his - 17 non-lethal, high-intermediate Taser-deaths were admitted to in Canada, between 2002 and 2007. Between 2001 and 2005 70 people died by Taser in the United States. Promising that in Canada Tasers will now be used safely only - all kinds of when/how - is ignoring the cops' well-documented fallibility-factor (putting it nicely!) on the ground and the physical condition of those Tasered - before they get zapped to the ground!
Council has no problem with any of this.
Another one from the Chief: There is less risk of injury to a person hit with a Taser than if officers use their fists or a baton to restrain them. My question: How many Canadians have been beaten to death by a cop with fists or batons - in comparison to those killed with Tasers - between 2002 and 2007?
Police Chief Holland seems to be aware of only 2 options - when attempting to take down those stepping out-of-line: either beating them senseless with fists and/or batons or zapping them senseless with a Taser.
Over to you, councilors!
The Vice-Chief
Then Vice-Chief Burkart with: while he arrested thousands within his 18 years on the streets, he applied his Taser less than a handful of times.
It seems, actually Inspector Burkart has been a police-officer for 18 years. Had he spent all of them on the streets - he certainly would not be in the position he is in today. Leaping from walking a beat to inspector seems a stretch. So there's a credibility-issue with arresting thousands during 18 years on the streets. Anything else?
The facts, Inspector, just the facts!
NPD Position
Throughout the Chief's several inconsistent media-appearances since the beginning of April - also this performance for Council - he has not once addressed an actual need for Tasers in Nelson. Only emphasizing repeatedly: they are very rarely used and then only under the strictest conditions.
So what's the point?
Which takes me to my 2 basic arguments - again:
1
With the extremely low crime-rate in Nelson, 2 recently added police-officers and the purportedly extremely infrequent use of Tasers to begin with - why have them? Chief Holland previously called them an additional tool in the police-officers' - tool-belt. And carrying them is voluntary. How fun!
There seemed to be no particular problems in Nelson's struggle against crime with the previous number of cops - overtime-pay for days! - and no expensive toys to blast stuff away with!
Why does Council not probe this?
2
How much did Nelson's Tasers and Taser-training cost? Surely at least $30.000. And where did these funds come from: approved unquestioned by Council? Or out of the same treasure-trove City Manager Cormack pulled the money for the Baker Grand Avenue redo?
Regardless: it's all tax-payered money, Council!
2a
Do those certified in Taser-use receive a pay-raise because of this certification?
Do you know about this and if not - why, Councilors?
Tasers - The Movie
Wouldn't you know it - a week ago a Taser was used in Nelson! AWRIGHT!!! With Chief Holland oozing: Obviously the officer was distressed he had to use force at all, but later commented thank goodness he had the Taser on him because who knows what would have happened if the person continued to fight. Quoting the Star, Jun. 21, verbatim.
Well, without a Taser the officer - why was he alone in such a life-and-death situation? - could have beaten some bloody sense into the man with his fists or baton!
Surely, we will read about Tasers being used here more often: it will justify having them, and it must be fun to be Iron Man for a bit!
Accountable Who?
Councilor Kozak asked the officers for quarterly updates on new cop-shop goings-on, which Chief Holland promised to supply - gladly. Whether he will - without having to be prompted AGAIN - is another matter. Particularly as to do that regularly really is the NPB's job. Again I wonder when the Nelson Police Board will become accountable to the Nelson public - as its mission states - and when - according to its Strategic Plan, 2011-2015 - it will begin to increase community awareness, without having to be nudged in blog-posts and the occasional 5 minutes in COWs.
Mayor-Chair Dooley?
While councilors are embarrassingly unwilling to step up! More concerned with burning their fingers on said hot City-Hall potatoes than doing the job they were elected for! With Council this has become an internal integrity-issue.
And the public loses!
It is time to separate a mayor's job from that of a police-board's chair. And it is time for concern with public safety in Nelson. Not because of crime - but those protecting us from it! Tourists, too!
Images: Marrott, Nakayama, Roberts, Warhol
