Calgary police are investigating one of their own after allegations of violence and intimidation towards a Calgary man.
Ryan Campbell called the police in mid-March to complain of unruly downstairs tenants who had music playing loudly at 6:30 a.m.
When the police arrived, Campbell alleges the officer in question was belligerent and yelled at him.
“They said not to tell them how to do their job,” said Campbell, who then filed a complaint because of the officer’s behaviour.
Early on May 10, the same officers from the incident behind the original complaint showed up at Campbell’s home and arrested him on a warrant for a delinquent C-Train ticket from Nov. 7, 2009.
Kevin Brookwell of the Calgary Police Service acknowledged the complaint against the officer and indicated an investigation into the matter was underway.
“These allegations are taken seriously and investigated thoroughly … We try to determine if there are issues relating to police service regulations under the Police Act,” he said.
In Campbell’s complaint, he alleges the officers used excessive force to ram him against his home and then again against the police cruiser — and he was told to stop resisting arrest, which he denied was the case.
At the police station, Campbell alleges, he was denied a call to his workplace, an unopened shop at Sunridge Mall, to avoid a $1,000 fine and was released to the streets in his pajamas.
Campbell claims four hours later the same two officers appeared at his workplace, milling about near his booth, pointing and whispering.
“These are police officers, they’re supposed to be here to protect me and I feel like I need to be protected from them,” Campbell said.
Brookwell said once evidence is collected by the Professional Standards Section they will determine if criminal charges should be laid.
with files from Krista Sylvester
