VANCOUVER – The final report into the death of Frank Paul has been released by the Attorney General.
In a case stemming from 1998, 47-year-old Paul was arrested by two Vancouver police officers for being drunk in a public place. He was taken to VPD’s jail, but was removed minutes later and taken to an alleyway in East Vancouver, where his body was found the following morning.
Two years later, Vancouver Police looked into the actions of the two officers involved, resulting in brief suspensions, but no criminal charges were ever pressed.
In the report released today, inquiry commissioner William H. Davies says, “although I make several criticisms of, and suggestions for, improvement in the Branch’s policies and procedures in this report, I am satisfied that there is no basis for any suggestion that the prosecutors in the Frank Paul case conducted themselves improperly when considering whether to charge the police officers.”
Davies says there were no signs of “improper political pressure or influence” in the actions of Crown prosecutors. Nevertheless, he says the charging decision was not straightforward, and “it was a decision on which reasonable people could reach different conclusions.”
He recommends that charging decisions in such cases be made by lawyers from outside the Branch.
Other recommendations include ensuring the criminal justice branch is more open to reconsidering a no-charge decision based on new evidence or when there is a concern that the original decision may have been wrong.
Going forward, Davies also wants to see complete, accurate, and detailed reports to Crown Council.
Among other things, he recommends replacing the Vancouver Police Department’s drunk tank with a civilian-operated program.
More details are expected to come out at a press conference set for 1 p.m. this afternoon. We will have more on this story on the News Hour.
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