It took 15 years, homelessness, depression and PTSD, but Cariol Horne, the former Buffalo Police Department police officer who was fired for saving Neal Mack's life in 2006, finally won her battle with her former employer. "I got punched in the face, was not allowed to file criminal charges, fired and lost my pension. I continue to advocate against the beatings and killing of … [Read more...]
Should We Amend Hate Speech Laws to Protect Police Officers?
I read an interesting article in the Winnipeg Free Press last week where a retired Winnipeg Police Service member pitched the idea that police officers needed to be protected under Canada's hate speech laws. Hate speech is handled in Section 319 of the Criminal Code of Canada. [emphasis added] 319 (1) Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites … [Read more...]
Shane Donovan Files $2.5 Million Lawsuit against Ontario SIU and Crown
Niagara Regional Police Detective Sergeant Shane Donovan filed a second lawsuit, this time for $2.5 million, against Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, its former director and the Crown Law Office. Det. Sgt. Donovan's lawsuit seeks damages from the SIU for a negligent investigation that violated his Charter rights and resulted in a false arrest. It’s no secret where I … [Read more...]
Shane Donovan Files $2 Million Lawsuit against Niagara Regional Police, Constable Nathan Parker
On November 10, 2020, Niagara Regional Police Det. Sgt. Shane Donovan filed a $2 million lawsuit against the Niagara Regional Police Board and the cop Donovan shot in defense of his own life, Constable Nathan Parker. Donovan's lawsuit seeks $500,000 in general damages, $500,000 in special damages, and $1 million in punitive damages and comes months after all charges against … [Read more...]
Staff Sgt. Will Hinterberger Breaches Bail Conditions on Sexual Assault Charges
On September 13, 2019, Ottawa Police Staff Sgt. Will Hinterberger was suspended as part of an investigation into missing police files. The Ottawa Citizen reported on Hinterberger’s past duties, as well as his romantic relationship with the mother of suspected ISIL sympathizer Tevis Gonyou-McLean, who was arrested by the RCMP last August. Hinterberger was a patrol supervisor … [Read more...]
Niagara Regional Police Constable Nathan Parker: Innocent Victim or One Bad Cop?
If Dana Audet is to be believed, her fiance, Niagara Regional Police Constable Nathan Parker, is not a bad man, He's simply misunderstood. "What I really want to emphasize is that if you or I did something wrong at our job, we'd get a letter to file or we'd be disciplined. When a police officer oversteps, it goes in the newspaper." Given Constable Nathan Parker's long and … [Read more...]
Former Halifax Cop Gary Basso Appeals Assault Conviction
Gary Lawrence Basso, a former Halifax Regional Police constable, is appealing his conviction and sentence for punching a homeless man in the face on February 25, 2018. Basso was on duty at the time of the assault. On January 31, 2020, Judge Halfpenny-MacQuarrie sentenced Gary Basso to 90 days in jail to be served on weekends, one-year probation and a 10-year firearms … [Read more...]
Constable Paul Zarafonitis, Photographer Michael Farkas and Police Brutality
In Canada it is legal to film police while they perform their duties in public. Unfortunately, too many police officers believe the opposite and violate our rights, often with violent consequences to the photographer. Michael Farkas is one man who paid a high price for photographing police. That price came in the form of a brutal beating at the hands of Niagara Regional … [Read more...]
Detective Shane Donovan is Worthy of Our Support
On November 29, 2018, Niagara Regional Police Service Detective Sergeant Shane Donovan emptied most of his 15-round pistol magazine into Constable Nathan Parker. On March 28, 2019, the Director of Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, recommended the following charges be laid against Detective Donovan. One count of attempt murder, contrary to s. … [Read more...]
Constable Adam Massart: Give him the finger, he’ll point his service pistol at you
Police have a difficult job. Nobody in their right mind will argue that point. Civilians are often rude, disrespectful, and downright offensive to the brave men and women who wear a police uniform. In most cases, they respond to these indignities with grace and decorum. Occasionally however, a police officer fails to meet that most basic standard. Such is the case of … [Read more...]
Integrity, Les Kaminski and the Calgary Police Association
Rough times for the Calgary Police Service continue. Their integrity deficit shows no sign of letting up, either. Calgary Police Association President Les Kaminski and Constable Brand Derrick both face charges as a result of an Alberta Serious Incident Response Team investigation. Les Kaminski faces charges of assault and purjury. Constable Brant … [Read more...]
RCMP Constable Mike Ferguson: A Cautionary Tale for Police and Citizens Alike
I was digging for more information on another case when I stumbled across this one. I found myself unable to stop reading about RCMP Constable Mike Ferguson and the in-custody shooting death of Darren Varley on October 3, 1999. The killing of Darren Varley, while not strictly meeting the definition of police brutality, is nevertheless a cautionary tale to all police officers … [Read more...]
Monty Robinson Sentenced to Prison? It’s a MIRACLE!
I’m here in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, for Jane Gaffin’s Celebration of Life event (more on that later) and much to my shock and surprise Allen Carlos tells me that one of the cops who killed Robert Dziekanski was sentenced to prison time for perjury. I wracked my brain to remember who had gone on trial so far in this endless debacle. The first cop was acquitted although I … [Read more...]
Babak Andalib-Goortani: Police Sentencing Hypocrisy Continues Unabated
You’d think judges would feel some semblance of shame eventually, but that just isn’t the case. When it comes to sentencing police officers convicted of criminal offences our judges fall all over themselves pandering to a misguided sense of justice. Why is it wrong to send criminal cops to jail? When it comes to sentencing a mere citizen convicted of the same criminal … [Read more...]
Alberta Sheriff Thomas Bounds Gets Job Back after using Excessive Force on Deaf-Mute Cancer Survivor
William (Bill) Berry is a two-time cancer survivor who is also deaf and mute. He breathes through a tube in his throat. By any scale imaginable he is a frail man but that didn't stop Alberta Sheriff Thomas Bounds from attacking Bill Berry in the Red Deer courthouse two years ago. No, the thug with a badge and a bucket-full of attitude to go with it felt justified grabbing … [Read more...]
Thomas Harding and the Heavy Hand of Surete du Quebec’s Police State Thugs
Thomas Harding, as you may know, is the engineer of the train carrying oil that derailed in Lac Megantic, Quebec, leveling the town with the resulting explosion and fire. From the date of that terrible tragedy Thomas Harding avoided public comment at every turn. He cooperated with police and accident investigators fully and completely. Through his lawyer he even made it … [Read more...]
Montreal Police Constable Stephanie Trudeau: Just Another Thug Cop?
Montreal Police Constable Stephanie Trudeau is, as evidenced by her own actions, a thug. She makes the tradition of RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler proud. As is the style of so many police constables today, she is known primarily through her badge number, 728. Constable 728’s primary goal in any interaction with we mere citizens is to ensure our immediate and complete … [Read more...]
Infamous RCMP Thug Geoff Mantler is Finally Sentenced… to a Joke on Us
It’s taken a long time but that infamous thug and former (Thank God!) RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler was finally sentenced for brutally kicking Buddy Tavares in the face. Like Benjamin (Monty) Robinson before him in his obstruction of justice trial for killing Orion Hutchinson, Canada's justice system protects those who wear the venerable red serge, no matter how heinous their … [Read more...]
When is Police Brutality NOT Police Brutality? When the Judge Says So…
RCMP Constable Andy Yung is a real piece of work. And by that I mean he is the type of man we really don't want patrolling our streets armed with a badge, a gun and the power to do as he pleases. He first hit my radar a few years ago when in a drunken fit he fired his service pistol through the ceiling of his hotel room. At the time he was one of a supposedly select group … [Read more...]
Shocking News! Robert Dziekanski’s Death at the hands of RCMP Thugs Ruled a Homicide!
It only took the BC Coroners Service 5 years… It’s rather astounding, I must admit, but the BC Coroners Service finally reached the blatantly obvious conclusion that Robert Dziekanski’s death was a homicide. From the Toronto Sun: The coroner’s report (download PDF) released Monday found that Dziekanski, 40, died from a heart attack moments after four RCMP officers zapped … [Read more...]
Toronto Police Services constable Edward Ing is acquitted of police brutality
Toronto Police Services constable Edward Ing hit the jackpot with his retrial on charges of police brutality. Despite a scathing indictment of his actions by the judge in his first trial, Justice Steven Clark managed to rule: “There was an air of reality to his explanation.” Wow. Really? That's a far cry from what Justice J.E. Allen said while convicting Edward Ing in … [Read more...]
Thug RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler suddenly pleads guilty?
[powerpress] When it comes to police brutality cases I don’t surprise easy. So often they are pathetically predictable. Today, however, I was shocked to see Kelowna thug and RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler suddenly changed his plea to guilty. This sad excuse for a man spent the past two years proclaiming his innocence, blaming his RCMP bosses for “tossing him under … [Read more...]
RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler “tossed under the bus” by RCMP Brass?
Ever since video of Kelowna RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler’s brutal kick to the face of Buddy Tavares was made public, I’ve stated that this thug should be in prison, not walking the streets with a badge and a gun. Geoff Mantler is a danger to society and, like every other violent offender, he should spend a very long time in prison. Testimony at Mantler’s trial … [Read more...]
Even Buddy Tavares doesn’t believe Cst. Geoff Mantler will be convicted of police brutality
Buddy Tavares is the man who was brutally kicked in the face by RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler on January 6, 2011. A Kelowna reporter happened to be there at the time and recorded the entire thing on video. That video went viral and public outrage and condemnation of Mantler's apparent over-reaction was swift. In the wake of the Mantler video showing what seems to be blatant … [Read more...]
Constable Mike Wasylyshen is the poster-boy for our absurd police complaints process
[powerpress] In 2002 Edmonton Police Service Constable Mike Wasylyshen took out his police-issued taser and fired it into 16-year-old Randy Fryingpan 8 times in just 68 seconds. On October 9, 2012 Constable Mike Wasylyshen was found guilty of using unlawful force in tasering and then hitting Randy Fryingpan in the head back on October 5, … [Read more...]
Convicted Sexual Predator and Former RCMP Constable Kevin Gregson refuses to apologize to the child he repeatedly raped
Former RCMP Constable Kevin Gregson is not a nice man, and now that he's been convicted of murdering Ottawa police Constable Eric Czapnik I no longer have to put the word [alleged] in front of the terms murderer, sexual predator or child rapist. Gregson was convicted of repeatedly raping a 10-year-old girl on September 19, 2012 by Ontario Superior Court Justice Julianne … [Read more...]
Corey Maygard: Harassed by Edmonton Police for the “crime” of videotaping them on a public street
Corey Maygard was on the street on Friday, August 10, 2012 and saw what he thought were Edmonton Police Service constables physically abusing a man. He pulled out his iPhone and started recording what he witnessed. One of the constables came over and demanded that Corey stop recording them. Fine. The constable can make any demand he likes. That doesn’t mean anyone has to … [Read more...]
Hypocrisy Gone Wild: Niagara Regional Police Constable Nathan Parker files Human Rights complaint after being disciplined for police brutality
As astounding and incomprehensible as it sounds, a Niagara Regional Police Constable who went berserk on a cyclist on May 6, 2008 filed a human rights complaint against his superiors because they hurt his feelings. Constable Nathan Parker, who has never shown one iota of remorse for his disgraceful actions of that day, felt hard done by when a police disciplinary board ruled … [Read more...]
Milwaukee Rapist Cop Ladmarald Cates sentenced to a special place in Hell
Back on February 14, 2012 I wrote the following under the title “There is a special place in hell reserved for you, Officer Ladmarald Cates”: When you dial 9-1-1 you expect the police to arrive and help you. The very last thing you think you’re doing is calling Dial-A-Rapist, yet that’s exactly what happened to a 19-year-old Milwaukee single mom who cannot be identified by … [Read more...]
RCMP Constable Geoff Mantler WALKS on assault charge, as predicted
As much as I would like to have been surprised by Geoff Mantler being acquitted of assaulting Manjit Singh Bhatti on August 30, 2010, sadly I am not. I predicted he would be acquitted on July 12, 2012 in my article titled Constable Geoff Mantler’s Fate in Assault Trial awaits Judge Mark Takahashi’s decision. While my good friend and un-indicted co-conspirator Jane Gaffin … [Read more...]