Watchdog orders use of force probe into transit police arrest at SkyTrain station

A British Columbia police watchdog has ordered an investigation into the actions of two Metro Vancouver Transit Police officers during an arrest at a SkyTrain station last month.

The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) confirmed Wednesday that the Vancouver Police Department will conduct an external investigation into the officers’ use of force during the Oct. 27 incident.

The OPCC previously told Global News it had received complaints from the public about the incident, which was captured on cellphone video.

In a statement Wednesday, Metro Vancouver Transit Police said it “welcomes an investigation by the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner and will cooperate fully.”

They were unable to provide any further details about the deployment of specific officers.

In the video, the two officers can be seen using a Taser and knee strikes against a woman as they attempt to arrest her on the floor of the Granville Street SkyTrain station.

The woman can be heard screaming while the Taser is in use and shouting “I’m not hitting you,” and “I’m not resisting them.”

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In the wake of the incident, the Metro Vancouver Transit Police defended the officers’ actions, saying they were called to reports of the woman having an apparent mental health crisis and chasing passengers, screaming and removing her clothing.

At the time, transit police spokesperson Const. Amanda Steed said officers had tried to de-escalate the situation, but were required to take physical action to detain her.

Steed said knee strikes and Tasers are approved for use in certain situations when a suspect resists arrest and displays assaultive behaviour.

“In this particular incident, the woman attempted to grab the officers’ weapons as she fought with them,” Steed said.

Paramedics eventually sedated the woman and she was taken to hospital under the Mental Health Act, according to police.