UPDATE: 5:55 p.m.: Port Moody Police have received notification of a Police Act Complaint being lodged regarding the incident below. As such, the matter has been turned over to the Professional Standards Section of the Port Moody Police Department for investigation.
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A video posted on YouTube alleging assault by a member of the Port Moody Police has prompted an investigation by the department.
The video, called ‘Port Moody police use excessive force’ is only 18 seconds long, and shows a man standing by some police cars. One of the officers then grabs the man around the neck and pulls him to the ground. Shouts of ‘woah’ can be heard coming from the crowd.
Cst. Luke van Winkel with the Port Moody Police says the video shows a brief glimpse of an incident that started just after midnight on Saturday, July 6, and was shot outside the Golden Spike Pub.
Police were called by a staff member who told them a woman and a man were having an argument outside the pub and the man was attempting to fight the security staff there.
When the officers arrived they could hear the man and woman yelling obscenities at the staff outside. According to the staff members, the couple had been thrown out for assaulting and threatening employees.
One of the officers put the man, a 30-year-old resident of Coquitlam, under arrest for intoxication in a public place and for causing a disturbance. Van Winkel says despite multiple warnings, the man was uncooperative during the arrest and was subsequently taken to the ground, which is what is shown on the video.
“It’s very important for people to keep in mind, videos only capture a small piece,” says van Winkel.
Both the man and the woman were arrested and taken to cells where they were released when sober.
There were no reported injuries and no paramedics were called to the scene.
Police are not pursuing any charges.
The man who shot the video, Devin Shepherd, says there was a group of them at the pub on Saturday to celebrate a birthday. The group got there around 6 p.m. to have dinner first.
He says the bouncers were asking to see the woman’s ID, which he thought was strange because they had all been there since 6 p.m.
“There was a bit of an argument going on there,” says Shepherd, “and from what I saw the bouncers escorted her outside, which you know, naturally irritated her boyfriend. I didn’t see him assault or impose on them in any manner, I saw them grab him in one of their holds and move him outside.”
He says that is when the argument started outside and the police were called. When the police approached the man, that is when Shepherd started filming.
Shepherd says after the incident he was approached by an officer asking to see the video, but he says he told them he wasn’t comfortable with that.
“Eventually I just walked away,” he says.
He describes the man as a “pretty easygoing humble guy.”
Van Winkel says the officer involved has over 15 years of service. They have launched an investigation into what happened, but the department has not received any formal complaints at this time.
They are going to be looking at more video surveillance, and talking to use of force experts about what happened.
“All force police officers use is governed by the National Use of Force Manual,” says van Winkel.
Watch the video below:
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