Vancouver police announced yesterday they’ve recommended charges against two of the three metro Vancouver police officers who allegedly assaulted a newspaper delivery man on Burrard Street last week.
A New Westminster officer is facing charges of assault and possession of stolen property while a second officer from West Vancouver is facing robbery charges.
Chief Const. Jim Chu said there isn’t enough evidence to charge the third officer from Delta, adding that he may have even tried to intervene.
The men, who were off-duty at the time of the alleged incident, have been accused of robbing and assaulting Firoz Khan, 47, in the early morning of Jan. 21.
Khan said one of the officers yelled racial slurs in what he called an unprovoked attack.
Chu said police aren’t pursuing the attack as a hate crime because Khan can’t say which man verbally abused him.
West Vancouver Cpl. Fred Harding said yesterday the department has received “substantial” evidence against its officer.
“Chief Const. Kash Heed personally expresses his sincere and heartfelt apology,” Harding said.
Chu said the alleged attack has “angered and frustrated” his colleagues in law enforcement.
“This incident is an aberration that can not and will not ever be tolerated,” he said.
New Westminster police Chief Const. Lorne Zapotichny called the allegations “serious and disconcerting.”
He added that the officer in question will be afforded “the same due process as any other member of the public.”
