Van Dongen quiet on TransLink's Taser use

Vancouver Sun
Apr. 21, 2008

Solicitor-General John van Dongen refused to say Sunday whether he supports a policy that allows Greater Vancouver transit police to use Tasers on "non-compliant" passengers.

"I'm not going to answer that question," Van Dongen stated. "I'm not the expert on that."

He noted that TransLink policies regarding stun guns will be reviewed by a former B.C. Court of Appeal justice, as part of a broader review of stun-gun use by law enforcement officers.

Thomas Braidwood was asked to conduct the review following the death of Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski who was Tasered at the Vancouver International Airport in October.

"I am very pleased that he is going to look at transit police and make that part of his report," van Dongen said in an interview.

Braidwood expanded his review to include TransLink police after an article published in The Vancouver Sun revealed that officers with the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority Police have used Tasers at least 10 times since July.

In four cases, the electro-shock device was used against non-threatening passengers, the records show.