| The Calgary Coalition For Social Justice is calling for changes in the way charges of police misconduct are investigated.
Coalition spokesperson Gord Christie says the general public doesn’t have faith that the present system ensures justice for victims.
Recently the issue has garnered media attention because of the October 23, 2003 shooting of a Sudanese man by a Calgary police officer. Thirty-four-year-old Deng Kuol was fatally shot after he allegedly slashed Constable Ira Macumber in the arm with a knife at a Forest Lawn apartment building.
After the shooting there was an internal investigation by the Calgary Police Service in which the officer was cleared of any wrongdoing. The case was then forwarded to the Edmonton Crown prosecutor’s office, which agreed with the Calgary Police Service’s findings.
Calgary’s Sudanese community is demanding an independent, third-party investigation of the shooting.
Christie says the Sudanese community has every reason to be concerned about the impartiality of the investigation.
"The Calgary Police Service should not be investigating themselves," says Christie. "It’s a conflict of interest."
As for the Crown prosecutor’s office, it’s too directly "linked together" with Alberta police forces to ensure the public of impartiality, says Christie.
"They’re just too familiar with each other," he says.
Christie says the investigation into the shooting of Kuol may have been completely fair and balanced, but he says the current system makes the general public uneasy.
"It’s the perception," he says.
Juan Melendez has first-hand experience with the way police misconduct is investigated.
Melendez claims to have been beaten by police in 2000 after they mistakenly identified him as a suspect. The Calgary Police Service and the province’s Law Enforcement Review Board both investigated and cleared the police officers Melendez accused of any wrongdoing. However, Melendez says he doesn’t believe justice will be served until police forces stop investigating themselves.
"The only witness is you and it’s my word against them and the system already exists to cover up any wrongdoing," says Melendez.
Alberta’s Solicitor General Heather Forsyth was quoted by media in February saying Alberta would establish a civilian watchdog organization to investigate cases of police wrongdoing by the end of this year.
Peter Tadman, spokesperson for Forsyth’s office, says the current system has checks and balances in place to ensure allegations of misconduct are properly handled. Citizens concerned about police misconduct can ask the Calgary Police Commission to investigate. The commission, whose members are appointed by city council, can order an independent body to investigate allegations of police wrongdoing. They also have the authority to call for a public inquiry at any time they believe it’s warranted, says Tadman.
People can appeal a decision by the Calgary Police Commission to the Law Enforcement Review Board, whose members are appointed by the provincial government."
Tadman says police and the Crown Prosecutor’s office are "separate and apart."
As well, any time a police officer shoots someone in the line of duty there is automatically a fatality inquiry, says Tadman.
However, the Calgary Coalition For Social Justice and other groups in Calgary remain concerned about possible police misconduct occurring without any consequences. The Calgary Coalition For Social Justice has organized a march on March 15 to protest against police brutality, harassment and discrimination. March 15 is the International Day to Eradicate Police Brutality. Members of Calgary’s gay community, as well as members from the Sudanese community are expected to protest along with the coalition. |
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