The death of Robert Dziekanski at Vancouver’s airport was a tragic and unfortunate event and one the RCMP is determined to learn from, the province’s second-top Mountie said yesterday.
RCMP Asst. Commissioner Al Macintyre offered condolences to Dziekanski’s mother, Zofia Cisowski, yesterday afternoon at the start of his address to the Braidwood Inquiry into the use of conducted energy weapons by municipal police.
“The RCMP continues to believe that the CEW (conducted energy weapon) is a valuable tool that, when used properly and in appropriate circumstances, can actually save lives and reduce injuries to police officers and to the public,” said Macintyre.
“We recognize, however, that CEW deployment, as is the case with any use of force, carries certain risks.”
The inquiry, headed by retired B.C. Supreme Court justice Thomas Braidwood, was called following Dziekanski’s death.
The 40-year-old Polish immigrant died after he was Tasered twice by RCMP at Vancouver International Airport in October 2007. A video of the incident attracted worldwide attention.
–jeff.hodson@metronews.ca
