News
Concern over use of force in SSC arrest growing on campus
Students remain unclear and angry about the violent arrest of fourth-year social science student Irnes Zeljkovic last Wednesday.
A video of the arrest was posted to YouTube showing six officers arresting the suspect using a flurry of fists, knees and batons in the Social Science Centre.
Last Friday, anonymous protestors wearing black clothing and bandanas over their faces assembled on concrete beach, handing out pamphlets condemning police violence.
“When was the last time you were served or protected by the pigs?” the pamphlet read. “More likely your last encounter with them was one where you felt harassed or intimidated.”
Elgin Austen, director of the Campus Community Police Service, said the general student response was based partly on a lack of understanding about the realities of law enforcement.
“With students not having much in the way of experience — maybe none — these things can be startling,” he said. “Although it looks like a violent encounter, and it is a violent encounter, the person is struggling substantially.”
Professor John Reed, who teaches a class on social movements in the faculty of information and media studies said Western and the police need to create a public dialogue about what happened.
“The reality is that it’s resonated beyond what happened that day. It was captured on video, it’s been put on YouTube, it’s been on national television. I think that Western is missing an opportunity by not admitting it’s moved past the contained event and saying, ‘We were just following protocol.’
He added that regardless of how permissible the use of force is by law, protocol alone is not complete justification.
“To say that they were just following protocol is only half the story,” he said. “Maybe they were just following protocol, but there are some people who [are] troubled by what they see.”
He added the arrest created an opportunity for open discussion about law enforcement that students should participate in.
Over the weekend, police released more details about the suspect. He previously plead guilty to drug possession charges and may have been inebriated by an unknown substance during the incident.
Austen confirmed the suspect was hallucinating and gave a false name before and after the arrest and while at the hospital, saying he was a professor and not a student.
Since the arrest, Western brass have responded to public concern citing the full context justifies the officers’ actions.
“Any of the tools an officer carries is meant to stay just one step in front of the violence shown in order to take the person into custody,” Austen said.
He added the video occurs after verbal warnings proved unsuccessful, after the suspect broke from hand-to-hand contact and after he was pepper sprayed. The next level of force was using the baton.
Representatives from the Ontario Police College refused comment when questioned by the Gazette as to how officers should evaluate what amount of force is necessary to subdue a suspect.
While the suspect suffered no serious physical injuries, he was sent to hospital because he showed an excited, delirious state of mind. This is standard practice for this kind of suspect, according to Austen.
Concerns about excessive force will be addressed in a review by campus police and London Police Services.
Christopher Sherrin, assistant professor of the faculty of law, said while the suspect could level a charge of assault against police, the courts weigh the circumstances of the arrest as an important factor.
“The police are entitled to use such force as may be reasonably necessary to make a lawful arrest,” he said.
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9 Comments
Actually, I have never had a negative experience with the campus police. On several occasions they have been extremely helpful, well mannered, and polite. Mind you, I haven’t tried to fight/evade the police after barricading myself into an office I don’t belong to…
The moto used in that banner is completely ridiculous. I interpret the banner as encouraging individuals to fight back against the police.
I am no expert, but I doubt any single person who has inputted their 2 cents does either. All this negatively surrounds whether or not there was use of excessive force. Was this excessive? You might say yes.. I might say no.. Would you or I feel this was excessive if you or I were the one in danger; I am absolutely positive we would think not. We cannot judge what did and did not happen on a low-res video and whether it was or wasn’t “excessive”.
By encouraging more resistance, these individuals are effectively promoting violence.
Let campus police do what they do best and continue protecting us students!
Jonathan, where you have had positive experiences with campus police, I have only had negative. To become a police officer, potential officers should have to partake in more schooling. Why does an occupation that holds the most power over common citizens have a relatively low amount of training?
I support the officers and CCPS 100% in their actions. This student was a danger to himself and others, whether he was in full control of his actions or not. Restraining an individual who does not wish to be restrained is remarkably difficult, even more so when the student isn’t fully cognizant of…well, anything. The fact that there were no serious injuries is a testament to the training and skill of the officers involved, and this student, at least, appreciates the work they do to keep us safe on campus.
I wonder how these protestors would feel if they were to be the victim of a crime on campus. Would they go to Campus Police for help? I don’t doubt it, and it would be the height of hypocrisy to do so.
“When was the last time you were served or protected by the pigs?”
Last February or so. I forgot my wallet in the SSC, I went to the Police Station, signed my name to a lost property report and got my wallet back from a quite friendly officer.
These people who “more likely” had their last encounter involve harassment or intimidation should stop bringing it upon themselves. I spent 7 years on campus, and had all of 0 negative encounters with police.
Learn to live in a society in which you have to follow the rules, or leave to somewhere that doesn’t have the rules and see how you fair.
After events such as Columbine, and Virginia Tech, people who make threats, or are acting dangerous in anyway cannot be tolerated. I personally beleive this guy deserved everything he got and should have been beaten harder. He was under the influence of somthing he assulted police officers and broke free a total off three times. How we as regular citizens actually defend a dangerous individual???? He barricaded himself in an office that was not his. He could have attacked anybody at anytime had the cops not acted the way they did! Hee was even pepper sprayed! Howw can cops do their job when everytime they do, they become villified??? What do we want police to do, walk around with nothing but a badge??? Why not just call them the foot patrol instead of Police while were at it.
the entertainment media has sensationalized the use of force by police officers. True peace offices use brutal force such as baton and striking exceptionally infrequently. In fact in a recent Bureau of Justice study of over 508 police officers in over 7500 areasts in three jurisdictions in the US, baton was used only six (6) times) and striking with hand only twice ( 2). Use of force is supose to be dynamic, changing with the situation. There is no doubt in my mind that the offices in the video used excessive force for the time they were dealing with an actively resisteing subject. they clearly have little experience in the use of non violent crisis intervention and restraint. Hope the investigation changes thing.
To judge anyone’s action based on a few minutes of a grainy video in which the perpetrator isn’t clearly visible shows immaturity and a tendency to jump to conclusions.
All things must be taken in context.