Tuesday April 15, 2008, 10:29 pm

ROD MICKLEBURGH

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

April 15, 2008 at 10:48 PM EDT

VANCOUVER — The country's only armed transit police have been tasering passengers who try to avoid paying fares.

According to documents provided in response to a Freedom of Information request, police patrolling public transit in the Metro Vancouver area have used tasers 10 times in the past 18 months, including five occasions when victims had been accosted for riding free.

In one incident, a non-paying passenger was tasered after he held onto a railing on the SkyTrain platform and refused to let go.

“After several warnings to the subject to stop resisting arrest and the subject failing to comply with the officers' commands, the taser was deployed and the subject was taken into control,” said the report provided by TransLink, the region's transit authority.

An internal review of the incident concluded that the action taken by transit police officers complied with the force's policy and was within guidelines “set out in the National Use of Force Model,” the report said.

On another occasion, a passenger was tasered when he fled from police who found him without a payment receipt during a “fare blitz.” This time, however, the passenger got away because, as recounted in the report, “the Taser was ineffective due to the subject's clothing and [he] escaped the custody of the officers.”

Politicians and civil-liberties activists alike decried the use of tasers on individuals who were attempting merely to avoid paying a fine for not buying a ticket to ride.

“I think it's absolutely uncalled for, absolutely reprehensible, and the police should not be doing that,” federal Liberal public safety critic Ujjal Dosanjh said in Ottawa yesterday.

On the face of it, the use of tasers by transit police here is far outside guidelines that say they should be used only if someone is suicidal, violent or about to injure himself or someone else, Mr. Dosanjh said.

“Their current use is absolutely inappropriate,” he said, adding that the latest revelations, coming after a storm of recent controversy over taser use by regular police forces across the country, have brought him close to calling for a moratorium on the powerful stun guns.

“This is the kind of example that would lead people like me, who have so far resisted asking for a moratorium, to actually call for that,” he said.

Murray Mollard of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, which supports a moratorium, said he was shocked by the news of transit passengers being tasered.

“To apply a taser on someone fleeing the scene while trying to evade a fine is, quite frankly, an outrageous abuse of this weapon,” Mr. Mollard said.

“Do we really need police officers with guns and tasers using them in the context of fare evasion? I don't think so. This really is very hard to believe.”

But he stopped short of blaming the police. “They do what police do,” he said. Instead, he pinned the fault on cabinet ministers responsible for the police who refuse to restrict taser use.

“They've basically given police a blank cheque to do whatever they want. We have really believed they have abdicated their duty.”

In Victoria, Solicitor-General John van Dongen evaded reporters' questions on the SkyTrain tasering. He said only that transit police are expected to conduct themselves in the same manner and use the same tools as other police forces.

In a move that sparked heated debate in the province, the government gave the green light for transit cops to carry weapons 21/2 years ago. There are about 125 officers on the transit force.

The region's popular, elevated SkyTrain system operates on a partial honour system, without turnstiles. However, riders caught without a ticket are subject to heavy fines, as high as $175. Officers ask passengers at random for proof of payment.

Another incident outlined in the transit report said a non-paying passenger fled when police also found there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest.

“During the attempt to escape, the Taser was deployed and subject was stopped, subdued and handcuffed,” the report said.

On two other occasions, the report said tasers were used after joyriding passengers became combative when confronted by transit police officers.

Tuesday April 15, 2008, 11:25 pm
You would think the fiasco at Vancouver Airport would have caused a new look at the weapon. Apparently not, and with our city being the center of world attention Feb 2010, maybe we, the people should have a moratoriam against them.After all they are our servants [civil].

Tuesday April 15, 2008, 11:36 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Elisa because you have done so within the last week. NOTED...thank you very much

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 1:19 am
T.Y. Elisa

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 2:13 am
I am very disappointed with Canada at this point too. I lived in Canada for many years: Vancouver, Langley and Calgary. And at that time I remember the police used to be so nice and so helpful! And in many provinces they did not even need to carry weapons on. It looks like they are adapting and copying the bad manners from the United States. If things go on this way, very soon Canada will loose a big part of the tourists and its dignity concerning this.

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 3:12 am
Those tasers are very painful. I was at a Homeless Shelter in Petaluma California, off and on for 5 months. I got up to go to the Rest Room, and was asked to leave by the third shift help/who where ckients just as me and I first got there. I went back to my mat for i was too tired to leave. One cop came... the lights went on... he tried to pick me up and dragged me outside. Then I got peppered sprayed first as he tried to cuff me, next came the tasers right through my chest. Foefet how nany... it took at least 15 minutes to get the cuffs on behind me while it felt like one shoulder was almost torn off. I stood up saw the k-9 ones with their dog. I said you are the k-9 cops? Someone give me a little water to wash out my mouth and eyes. During the whole thing I was asking why are you doing this to me? While the cop took me up the highway to the Sheriff, I said we are all just solo auto pilots.-which damn near broke the cops heart to hear!!

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 5:32 am

guidelines “set out in the National Use of Force Model,”
Canada

Those tasers are very painful. I was at a Homeless Shelter in Petaluma California,Then I got peppered ..next came the tasers right through my chest.
USA

SAme Country,..... North American Union

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 5:42 am
noted!

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 8:12 am
NOTED

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 8:44 am

Unreal! Thanks for posting this, Elisa.

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 4:23 pm
Thanks for the post! Please everyone check out my Tasers Data Page on TruthAwaits...

Tasers Data Page

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 4:40 pm
As a Vancouverite is this supposed to make me feel safe?

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 6:59 pm
Disgusting !!

Wednesday April 16, 2008, 10:59 pm
omg I live in Alberta and I never even heard about this...However I did hear about the other situation where the guy died at the Vancouver airport. Big Brother once again. I agree Scott. I read all that stuff on the internet about the alleged North American Union omg. Scary stuff. You go to a site and oops it's gone. Big Brother has taken it off. yikes. s-j

Thursday April 17, 2008, 4:30 am
Not good. T.Y. Elisa.
Michael D., I am so sorry about what happened to you that you got tazzed at a Homeless Shelter too. Sounds like the set you up bad, just for trying to sleep.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 2:00 pm
"Do we really need police officers with guns and tasers using them in the context of fare evasion? I don't think so. This really is very hard to believe."

That's what I say! This is an outrageous
abuse of the use of force! On fare-jumpers?
OMG!
Alpha, you are absolutely right, Canada IS
picking up their "bad manners" from the US.
Thanks, Elisa.
noted.

Thursday April 17, 2008, 10:42 pm
It's a crazy world ...
Noted ... thanks and all the best to you!

Friday April 18, 2008, 8:36 am
remember: humanism is greater than nationalism.

Tasers are exported OUTSIDE the US to militarize private & public 'security' professionals... with the sort of training that lets them think Amnesty International & the UN were *wrong* to declare them tools of torture.

Toronto Transit to CARRY TASERS: I'm ashamed of my City.
http://tinyurl.com/4tvjuf Please read.

- Includes a discussion of the 'Remember the Fallen' Taser-sponsored 'drive-by' promotional supporting tasers for municipal officers.

What is the 'beating heart of democracy' if not the ability to stand up for one's self?
...or to protest peacefully in the face of injustice?

Why are OUR POLICE & TRANSIT DRIVERS brandishing 'compliance' tools?!

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"Silent Freedom is Freedom Silenced"
"Do no harm"

Friday April 18, 2008, 10:33 am
The fascists have taken over -- expect more, not less of this . . .