By Gerry Bellett and Carolynne Burkholder, Vancouver Sun and Canwest News Service
January 22, 2009 7:01 PM
VANCOUVER — The ex-wife of one of the three police officers arrested by Vancouver police says her former husband has told her not to believe media accounts of what is alleged to have happened.
"I know all these guys. They are not the way they are being portrayed in the media right now," said Sheri Klassen, who lives in Kelowna.
Const. Jeffrey Klassen, 38, was suspended without pay by New Westminster police Chief Lorne Zapotichny on Thursday after he and two other police officers — one employed in Delta, the other in West Vancouver — were arrested after a Vancouver newspaper delivery driver was robbed and assaulted
The three off-duty officers have not yet been charged.
The West Vancouver officer has been reassigned to desk duties.
Meanwhile, Delta Police official Sharlene Brooks said Thursday that Police Chief Jim Cessford was still considering his options concerning what to do with the arrested 28-year-old officer who has been on the force for three years.
The officers are the latest in a string of B.C. cops accused of behaving badly.
Wednesday's assault comes after the arrests of four B.C. police officers, all accused of drunk driving, within the last 13 months.
Vancouver police Const. Peter Hodson was charged with drunk driving in November, while New Westminster Const. Tomi Hamner faces the same charges after a crash in October.
Lower Mainland RCMP Cpl. Benjamin Monty Robinson faces charges of impaired driving causing death following a crash that killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist on Oct. 25.
And North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Darren Baker was charged with drunk driving after being pulled over in December 2007.
Former Victoria police chief Paul Battershill resigned in August after admitting to RCMP investigators that he had an affair with a labour lawyer hired by the force to negotiate severance packages for people under his command.
Another Victoria officer, Sgt. George Chong, brother of B.C. cabinet minister Ida Chong, was charged with assault in September in relation to an off-duty incident that happened in August.
Earlier this month, the Victoria Police Department announced the third investigation into the use of excessive force by its officers after a rookie officer allegedly injured two people held in the department's jail cells.
In the earlier cases, teenager Willow Kinloch successfully sued the department last year after she was tethered and restrained while drunk in a police cell in 2005. And the family of Thomas McKay, a college student who suffered permanent head injuries after being thrown to the floor of a jail cell in 2004, has also sued the department.
In November, two senior police officers in West Vancouver, Insp. Bob Fontaine and Staff Sgt. Doug Bruce, resigned just before a disciplinary hearing into a coverup scandal involving officers drinking alcohol at the police station.
As well, Powell River RCMP Const. Paul Foster pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene and driving without due care and attention after a crash on April 23.
The victim in the most recent case, a 47-year-old Surrey, B.C., man who is a driver with Dolphin Delivery, is off work recovering from his injuries.
Dolphin manager Dave Breen said the driver, who was delivering copies of the National Post, has been told by police not to speak with the media.
"All I can say is he's been to the doctor. He's banged up pretty badly and I think he'll be off work for a little while," said Breen.
The driver has worked for the company for 12 years delivering early morning newspapers to the downtown area.
Vancouver police spokeswoman Const. Jana McGuinness refused to confirm any of the reported accounts of the driver having his wallet and cellphone stolen by the trio.
"We will not be releasing any of the background information relating to the incident which is still under investigation," she said.
The officers were released without being charged later Wednesday after being arrested by Vancouver police who answered a 911 call, she said.
All three forces have launched Police Act investigations into the conduct of their arrested officers and have taken the matter to the Police Complaints Commissioner's Office.
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
"I know all these guys. They are not the way they are being portrayed in the media right now," said Sheri Klassen, who lives in Kelowna.
Const. Jeffrey Klassen, 38, was suspended without pay by New Westminster police Chief Lorne Zapotichny on Thursday after he and two other police officers — one employed in Delta, the other in West Vancouver — were arrested after a Vancouver newspaper delivery driver was robbed and assaulted
The three off-duty officers have not yet been charged.
The West Vancouver officer has been reassigned to desk duties.
Meanwhile, Delta Police official Sharlene Brooks said Thursday that Police Chief Jim Cessford was still considering his options concerning what to do with the arrested 28-year-old officer who has been on the force for three years.
The officers are the latest in a string of B.C. cops accused of behaving badly.
Wednesday's assault comes after the arrests of four B.C. police officers, all accused of drunk driving, within the last 13 months.
Vancouver police Const. Peter Hodson was charged with drunk driving in November, while New Westminster Const. Tomi Hamner faces the same charges after a crash in October.
Lower Mainland RCMP Cpl. Benjamin Monty Robinson faces charges of impaired driving causing death following a crash that killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist on Oct. 25.
And North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Darren Baker was charged with drunk driving after being pulled over in December 2007.
Former Victoria police chief Paul Battershill resigned in August after admitting to RCMP investigators that he had an affair with a labour lawyer hired by the force to negotiate severance packages for people under his command.
Another Victoria officer, Sgt. George Chong, brother of B.C. cabinet minister Ida Chong, was charged with assault in September in relation to an off-duty incident that happened in August.
Earlier this month, the Victoria Police Department announced the third investigation into the use of excessive force by its officers after a rookie officer allegedly injured two people held in the department's jail cells.
In the earlier cases, teenager Willow Kinloch successfully sued the department last year after she was tethered and restrained while drunk in a police cell in 2005. And the family of Thomas McKay, a college student who suffered permanent head injuries after being thrown to the floor of a jail cell in 2004, has also sued the department.
In November, two senior police officers in West Vancouver, Insp. Bob Fontaine and Staff Sgt. Doug Bruce, resigned just before a disciplinary hearing into a coverup scandal involving officers drinking alcohol at the police station.
As well, Powell River RCMP Const. Paul Foster pleaded guilty to failing to remain at the scene and driving without due care and attention after a crash on April 23.
The victim in the most recent case, a 47-year-old Surrey, B.C., man who is a driver with Dolphin Delivery, is off work recovering from his injuries.
Dolphin manager Dave Breen said the driver, who was delivering copies of the National Post, has been told by police not to speak with the media.
"All I can say is he's been to the doctor. He's banged up pretty badly and I think he'll be off work for a little while," said Breen.
The driver has worked for the company for 12 years delivering early morning newspapers to the downtown area.
Vancouver police spokeswoman Const. Jana McGuinness refused to confirm any of the reported accounts of the driver having his wallet and cellphone stolen by the trio.
"We will not be releasing any of the background information relating to the incident which is still under investigation," she said.
The officers were released without being charged later Wednesday after being arrested by Vancouver police who answered a 911 call, she said.
All three forces have launched Police Act investigations into the conduct of their arrested officers and have taken the matter to the Police Complaints Commissioner's Office.
© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service
