Vancouver Police Beat Innocent Man in Mistaken Identity

On Thursday 02:20 the VPD got a call saying that a man was abusing his wife, so they rushed over to the complex as fast as they could, and arrested and started beating the man who answered. They said he resisted arrest and so beat him but through a translator (he doesnt speak english) Yao Wei Wu said he did not resist because he did not realise they were police, and they had guns. They were plainclothes officers, so perhaps they were on call.

Asking his name and such revealed they have the wrong man because they have gone to the wrong floor! The chief Jim Chu found out and went to apologise in person to the man and issued a public apology for both the act and wrong information saying he resisted arrest.

Now I would say for certain it is not racism, just that they thought they had a scumbag (I mean what would you do if you saw someone beating his wife?) and acted on impulse. But Goddd now the police here are jumping in without forethought. You are not suppose to put emotion before logic in service. You are supposed to act through the law and leave your personal opinion out of it!!

You can recognise me as I am always defending police because they are demonised as a whole. When a judge makes a bad call its just him, when a banker commits fraud its just him, when a cook spits in your food, its just him, but when a police officer does something wrong, all police are suddenly the devil...

Thats the mentality here. I think that is what the people in power want. They want people to mis-trust all police so they will DEMAND something else. Maybe soon enough we will get a federal gestapo to make us feel safe?

People seem to think of police as gods subconsciously. Police are human, they have all the same flaws and capabilities as all people. So there will be police who make mistakes and police who follow the mob mentality: they knew a man was beating his wife and acted on impulse. So it is possible if they are told 'this man is a terrorist' they could act on impulse too. Most police would not seize legal firearms and hurt anyone innocent; it just depends on what they 'know' about you. Imagine how easy it is to put up a commercial demonising some one or group, and in the media, and then it will convince otherwise good people to do bad. So you are not paranoid to be wary of police, or any armed persons for that matter. But most of all be wary of the people telling them who is bad.

Anyway back on topic, they said they do not need an independent and are doing an internal investigation, such is the way it always goes. I am putting my money that they just acted without confirming and the chief sympathises with their reason, just not their action, so maybe they will not be disciplined. I can bet they wont be in fact, or there will be some obscure reference in the newspaper and no one will know for sure.

I think it goes without saying they should be heavily disciplined... discharged, no, I can say for certain if I thought someone was beating their wife what I would do to them, just, I would make SURE they were first (and I am talking about out of uniform, IN uniform you are NOT PAID TO JUDGE!). Not even confirming the right floor, and right person, is beyond reckless and unforgivable. They should have to pay him out of their own pockets, because a crime is a crime even with the right motivation behind it.

CBC News with Video


I want to add under "More video" on the right hand side is the full version of the apology that was on the news. From my psychological perspective he seems very deflective and predisposed, just kind of saying generalisations that will make people happy. And he works quickly to not let follow-up questions. But it is exactly what a PR person does.

[edit on 22-1-2010 by Ridhya]

Reminds me of the movie where the drug cops went to the wrong house and the guy had to go to prison because the cops after discovering they were at the wrong house, framed the guy to cover their backside. I think it was a Steven Segal movie.

It is almost the same story. Jeez, sorry fella for beating you but you did resist arrest. The old he resisted arrest ploy.

This is so sad it is funny. What job, other then being in government, do you not AT LEAST get frelling fired for this.

Oh sorry, shot the wrong guy, too bad. Hey wanna go get some donuts.



[edit on 1/23/2010 by endisnighe]

Haha or like the south park episode where they plant coc aine on all the black people.

I think that is what happens with power, eventually it will corrupt your vision of yourself, to the point you can not falter or your vision is crushed. So, you try to justify things to make you look right.

I wonder if the story will fade to protect our image for the olympics.

Man I agree whole-heartedly. I had a girl tell me not so long ago that police were the problem with the world. I asked her what she would do without the police. She said live free. I said; and lets say I wanted to rob or kill or rape you? She said she would call the police. At that point, my part of the conversation was over.

Originally posted by A-E-I-Owned-You
Man I agree whole-heartedly. I had a girl tell me not so long ago that police were the problem with the world. I asked her what she would do without the police. She said live free. I said; and lets say I wanted to rob or kill or rape you? She said she would call the police. At that point, my part of the conversation was over.

yeah man i totally see your point, police do such a good job of stopping rape.

protect yourself, don't need no stinkin badges

reply to post by A-E-I-Owned-You


Funny one.
When have the police ever prevented a crime? Never, that's when. They show up afterward, further victimize the victims, make up a scenario to fit whatever they believe happened (regardless of the facts), and then pat themselves on the back.
I've called the police to report a crime before, I'll never make that mistake again.

reply to post by NotTooHappy


Wow, so your experience speaks for everyone right. Unless your powers of prediction are incredible how are the police supposed to stop the crime in progress? They dont know until you call. It depends on you. And they get there as fast as they can. Usually you call *as it happens* or after, and expect the police to go back in time?

Their job IS to figure out what happened, unless they are passing by and witness it they have to go on peoples word. If they think someone is more trustworthy than you but the person is lying, then you should try everything to convince them. There is a saying 'if you are truly innocent it will be known' so you should be able to think of something as proof.

Police mostly prevent crime by presence. As soon as the police are in sight people stop breaking the law, simple as that. Drive with your friends and see, oh # police slow down, ditch the weed, hide the gun under the seat, etc etc. Of course theres still going to be crime, the police arent gods.

[edit on 23-1-2010 by Ridhya]

reply to post by Ridhya


You're right. Police are great people we should all worship and never question... Oh wait, I meant just the opposite of that.
Police misconduct news feed
I don't know how bad it is up in Canada but, it seems that LEOs all over the United States seem to think that they're above the law. There's a reason they're called "Pigs" you know.

[edit on 1/25/10 by NotTooHappy]