A 51 year old Vancouver man has been charged with three counts of Assault following a series of physical confrontations on a Coast Mountain Bus.

Shortly after 6 pm, Sunday, May 12, 2013, a male passenger on a northbound bus in the area of 6th Avenue and Commercial Drive began verbally harassing a young mother and her sister as they attempted to secure a stroller containing her infant son. As the man, previously unknown to the women, began punching the mother in the face and grabbing at the stroller, her sister intervened resulting in her being punched as well.

As the bus operator pulled the bus over and alerted dispatch to call the police, the suspect got off the bus and then attempted to get back on. A man and woman who were also passengers on the bus and witnessed the assaults, prevented the suspect from re-boarding. Although the man was punched in the face during the struggle, he managed to hold the suspect on the side of the road until Transit Police arrived shortly afterward.

Arrested and charged with 3 counts of Assault is Trevor Jerome BAKER, 51 years, a resident of Vancouver. Baker appeared in court yesterday and was released on a Recognizance with conditions that include No Contact with the Victims and Not to Possess Weapons. His next court appearance is May 28, 2013 at 1:30 pm. Baker is not previously known to police.

The victims, fortunately, received only minor injuries. Transit Police would like to express gratitude to those who intervened and assisted the young women.

Transit Police are committed to ensuring users can travel on the system without facing harassing or disturbing behaviour. Help us ensure your safe ride.

Please... if you see something, say something!

An 18 year old Vancouver man has been arrested after Transit Police received information about women being harassed on SkyTrain.

A concerned citizen contacted Transit Police on the evening of May 2, 2013, advising that he had seen a posting on Craigslist regarding a man who was allegedly sexually harassing women on the SkyTrain between Granville and Edmonds Stations. The posting included a suspect description, a time of day the man would enter Granville Station each morning and the type of behaviour he would display.

Based on this information, Transit Police plain clothes officers attended Granville Station the following morning and spotted a suspect on the train speaking with a woman. He was taken into custody and removed from the train at Broadway and Commercial. Investigation revealed that the suspect had approached the woman and made a lewd sexual proposition to her. She advised that she was shocked by what he said.

Transit Police were able to make contact with the Craigslist reporter who provided excellent information concerning several incidents. It is believed that this may have been occurring for the past few months and that there are likely additional victims who have not yet filed a report.

The suspect has been released on a Promise to Appear in court at a later date and is known to police. He is described as a white male, 18 years, 6’3” tall, 180 lbs., with short light brown hair and pale blue eyes. In the past he has entered Granville Station at 7:30 am and rides the train to Edmonds Station, approaching young women and sexually harassing and propositioning them. Charges of Sexual Assault and Criminal Harassment are being pursued.

Any women who believe they have been approached by this suspect or anyone who may have witnessed the suspect engaging in this kind of behaviour is asked to call Transit Police at 604-515-8300.

Transit Police are committed to ensuring users can travel on the system without facing harassing or disturbing behaviour. Help us ensure your safe ride - please, if you see something, say something.

Transit Police officers, assisted by members of the Burnaby RCMP traffic unit, conducted overt enforcement during rush hour yesterday morning of the bus lane on Lougheed Highway between Gagliardi Way and Production Way.

Despite officers wearing high visibility vests and police vehicles parked roadside in plain view with amber lights activated, fifty violation tickets were issued for “Disobey Traffic Control Device”, contrary to Section 125 of the Motor Vehicle Act. These tickets carry a $121.00 fine and 2 points on the violator’s driver’s licence.

The bus lane in this section of the Lougheed Highway feeds the Production Way bus loop and SkyTrain Station and is extremely busy, particularly during rush hour. Drivers are consistently observed turning westbound onto Lougheed Highway from northbound Gagliardi Way, into the bus lane, in an effort to get through the light when traffic is backed up.

Transit Police would like to remind drivers not to cross over a solid white line, to cross only into a turn lane where the dividing line is broken and to yield the right of way in marked bus lanes, so as not to impede rush hour traffic or create any traffic hazards.

A 36 year old Vancouver man was arrested Thursday night by Transit Police after threatening a fellow SkyTrain passenger with a knife.

At approximately 11:15 pm, April 25, 2013, a 24 year old man and his girlfriend were riding an eastbound train coming from downtown when they were approached by another male passenger who began verbally harassing them. He pulled a knife out of his backpack, holding it and pointing it within a foot of the man’s face, saying that he was a gang member.

Another passenger pushed the silent alarm strip in the train car resulting in the suspect being arrested by Transit Police at Broadway Station. A subsequent search of the suspect’s backpack revealed open liquor, drug paraphernalia, a canister of bear spray and a quantity of marijuana. A folding knife matching the description of the one produced on the train was located in a nearby garbage can.

Norman Wayne HALL has been charged with Possessing a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose and Possession of a Controlled Substance. He has been remanded in custody and makes his next court appearance Monday, April 29, 2013 at 9:30 am, in Vancouver. Hall is well known to police.

Passengers are reminded that pushing the yellow silent alarm strip in the train cars is an excellent way to alert Transit Police to any problem that may be occurring. It allows officers to respond as quickly as possible and deal with the situation.

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

A 29 year old Vancouver man was stabbed during an altercation at the Nanaimo SkyTrain Station Wednesday afternoon.

Shortly before 2:30 pm, April 24, 2013, two men got into an argument in the bus loop at Nanaimo SkyTrain Station. The argument continued on the outbound platform of the station where they got into a fight, exchanging punches. One man pulled a folding knife with a 3 inch blade and stabbed the other in the back of his leg. The suspect immediately fled the scene and was last seen running, in the area of Woodland Drive and 10th Avenue.

The victim was transported to Burnaby General Hospital where he was treated for his injuries and later released. 

The victim was unwilling to cooperate with police. It is believed the suspect and the victim may be known to one another.

There were several witnesses to the incident who were able to provide a suspect description. He is described as a black male, 6 feet tall, slim build, tall afro hair style shaved on the sides, wearing a loose fitting grey/black jacket, a gold chain, clear glasses and a wristwatch with a red band.

The attached suspect photo, while grainy in quality, may trigger recognition. A better quality photo will be released when available.

Anyone with any information concerning this incident or this suspect is asked to call Transit Police at 604-515-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if they wish to remain anonymous.   

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

A 31 year old Surrey man was critically injured Sunday evening, April 21, 2013, when he fell from an escalator handrail.

The man got off an outward bound SkyTrain at Surrey Gateway Station, at approximately 7:30 pm, and headed over to the ascending escalator where he leapt up onto the outside handrail. Sitting sideways on the rail with his feet hanging over the moving stairs and his back against a wall, he slid nearly one-third of the way down when the wall came to an end. With nothing to lean against, the man lost his balance and fell, head first, approximately 30 feet to the concrete below.

There were no eye witnesses to the fall but several people in the area heard the impact and called police. The man was transported to Royal Columbian Hospital suffering from multiple injuries including severe head trauma, and remains in critical condition.

Witnesses who observed the man travelling on the SkyTrain prior to the incident advised that he had been behaving oddly, appearing to be intoxicated in some way.

Anybody with any information concerning this incident is asked to call Transit Police at 604-515-8300.

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

A Vancouver man with a history of violent offences has been arrested and charged by Transit Police following an unprovoked assault on a 74 year old woman.

On April 8, 2013, at 12:40 p.m., the victim boarded the SkyTrain at Surrey Central Station, carrying a purse and pulling a small wheeled grocery cart. As she sat down next to the suspect, her purse brushed his leg causing him to become enraged. He raised his arm and clenched his fist towards the victim, swearing at her and threatening to break her neck. He then spat on her head, continuing to swear at her and telling her to move.

The victim got off the train in Surrey at the Scott Road Station, very upset and shaken, accompanied by another passenger who had witnessed the incident and photographed the suspect. They reported the assault to a SkyTrain Attendant who alerted Transit Police, providing a suspect description.

Darryl Keith BERGEY, 39 years, was located on the train in Burnaby at MetroTown Station a short time later and arrested by a Transit Police officer. He has been charged with Assault and Uttering Threats and has remained in custody since the incident. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance today. Bergey is well known to police.

Transit Police are committed to ensuring the safety of all passengers using the transit system with particular emphasis on those most vulnerable in our society. The victim in this incident expressed her gratitude to all involved including the witness, the SkyTrain Attendant and the Transit Police and was very relieved when told that the suspect had been located and arrested.

Transit Police remind passengers to familiarize themselves with the numerous safety devices (silent alarm strip, intercom and platform emergency telephones) provided both on the train and on platforms to seek assistance when using the transit system.

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

A teenaged girl has been charged with 14 counts of Mischief Under $5,000 following an investigation by Transit Police into multiple graffiti tags.

The most commonly used tag, VAMP, appeared in Vancouver SkyTrain stations and in trains between October and March.

The suspect, who turned 18 during the series of offences, cannot be named because she was a juvenile at the time of some of the occurrences. She was arrested in West Vancouver, is a resident of Vancouver and, although she has had some police contacts in the past, has no criminal history. She was released on bail with a number of conditions.

Graffiti is a part of an ongoing vandalism problem on the TransLink system. It is estimated that the clean-up costs for these offences would be approximately $2,000.

The suspect in these incidents put her life at risk to complete one of her tags. While at the 29th Avenue Station she climbed down onto the rails, stepping on a 600 volt high powered rail used to power the trains. Had the rail covering cracked or her foot slipped and touched the side of the rail, she would have been electrocuted.

Transit Police would like to remind everyone of the extreme dangers of SkyTrain's power rails. Please contact a SkyTrain Attendant, Transit Security or Transit Police officer if you drop anything in the track area - do not retrieve it yourself.

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Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

 

On March 18, 2013, in a very rare string of events, two teenage girls, well known to police, stabbed a woman in the arm at Gateway Station before travelling to Columbia and Joyce-Collingwood stations where they committed further assaults and another stabbing.

The 14 and 15-year olds began their rampage at Gateway Station, stabbing a young woman in the arm with a kitchen steak knife. The 20-year old victim, who had first encountered the girls at 134 Street and 108 Avenue in Surrey, and did not know them, boarded the train to remove herself from further harm. She was given medical attention at Surrey Central Station and taken to hospital.

Soon after the girls boarded a westbound train, where they bragged about being wanted by the police for stabbing someone and pulled out the knife again. They also began to taunt and threaten a woman passenger on the train. When she exited at Columbia Station, the girls followed and assaulted her on the platform before jumping back on the train.

At Joyce-Collingwood Station, the girls took several vicious stabs at another passenger that they encountered. Fortunately for the 17-year old victim, he was able to fend off much of the attack. He did receive a cut to the hand however.

All of these incidents occurred in just one hour and, although the movement of the victims and assailants spread the crime scene over four police jurisdictional areas and many SkyTrain stations, Transit Police arrested the two girls minutes after they fled Joyce-Collingwood Station to hide in an alleyway.

One of the girls was released on bail, with strict conditions, while the other remains in custody.

Transit Police would like to acknowledge and thank all the people involved in last week's arrest of these girls; friends of the victims, a Coast Mountain Bus Driver, SkyTrain staff and members of the public for providing assistance and statements; Transit Security for providing victim assistance at Columbia Station; SkyTrain Control for surveillance material and the emergency medical teams.

Transit Police ask that passengers familiarize themselves with the many safety features available to them on SkyTrain including designated waiting areas on platforms and the adjacent emergency telephone cabinet, the yellow emergency strips on the window inside SkyTrain cars and also the assistance intercoms available within the SkyTrain cars.

Please be reminded that if you See Something, you need to Say Something and call 911 or Transit Police at 604-515-8300.

VANCOUVER, BC - The BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) and the Canadian Federation of University Women (BC Council) are gaining praise from the Children of the Street Society for adopting "Truth in Language" as part of the fight against child sexual exploitation.

At their 2012 Annual General Meeting, the CFUW BC Council passed a resolution proposed by Catherine Dawson of the Federation's Abbotsford chapter calling on the provincial government to discontinue the use of the term "child pornography" in all official communications and replace it with the term "images of child sexual abuse".

"The premise of "Truth in Language" is simple," said Ms. Dawson. "Legal pornography is images of consenting adults engaged in sexual activity. Children can't consent to sexual activity. So what is commonly referred to as child pornography is actually images of child sexual abuse. By calling it what it is, we acknowledge the inherent violence and criminality of these images and the terrible impact they have on victims, families and communities."

Ms. Dawson reached out to Abbotsford Police Department Deputy Chief Constable Len Goerke, BCACP Vice President for support and got it. In February, the Association unanimously passed its own "Truth in Language" resolution. The resolution commits the Association and its members to actively encourage provincial and local governments as well as the law enforcement community to adopt "Truth in Language".

"As soon as Catherine approached me about "Truth in Language" I was on board and I knew my BCACP colleagues would support it as well," said D/C/Cst Goerke. "It just makes sense that the way we talk about issues impacts the way we perceive them and that impacts how we approach them. If we want to win the fight against child sexual exploitation we have to start with honest language."

"Ending the sexual exploitation of children and youth is a big job it can only succeed if it's a group effort," said Diane Sowden, Executive Director of the Children of the Street Society. "It's really gratifying to see the BCACP and the CFUW joining the fight to protect BC's children and youth."

In the coming months the BCACP and CFUW will continue their work to gain support for implementing "Truth in Language" among local and provincial government offices as well as law enforcement agencies.

 

For more information:

Len Goerke, Vice President BCACP
Deputy Chief Constable, Abbotsford Police
Phone: 604.864.4822

Catherine Dawson
CFUW Abbotsford Chapter
Phone: 604.226.3752

 

Backgrounder: Some facts about "child pornography" (CFUW)

• Legal "pornography" in Canada is comprised of images or video of consenting adults engaged in sexual activity (1)
• Children cannot consent to sexual activity (2, 3)
• Child Pornography" is not simply pornography featuring child actors; "child pornography" is the depiction of the sexual assault of a child. (4)
• An estimated 50,000 people currently share approximately two million images of child sexual abuse worldwide. (5, 6)
• Canadian police reported more than 3,100 incidents of "child pornography" in 2011, 900 more than in 2010 − the largest increase of any offence.(7)
• In the same period, the rate of luring a child via a computer rose 10%, while the rate of invitation to sexual touching increased 8%. (8)
• Pedophiles meet on line to trade images with other pedophiles creating a market for new images. (9, 10)
• Between 77% and 87% of convicted child sexual offenders use or have used illicit images of children to stimulate themselves sexually (11)
• Images found in collections are becoming more extreme, sadistic and violent. (12)

 

Backgrounder: "Truth in Language" Resolutions

CFUW BC Council Resolution 2012 re: Images of Child Sexual Abuse

Be it Resolved:
That the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) urges the government of British Columbia to develop policy guidelines for all BC government reports, policies, documents, web pages and any other written communications to discontinue the use of the term "child pornography" and to replace its usage with the term "images of child sexual abuse".

 

BCACP Executive Resolution (February 2013)

Whereas:

Legal pornography in Canada is comprised of videos or images of consenting adults engaged in sexual activity.

And, except as provided for in Section 150.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada, children cannot consent to sexual activity.

And, "child pornography" is not simply pornography featuring child actors; "child pornography" is the depiction of the sexual assault or exploitation of a child.

And the term "child pornography" is inappropriate and its continued usage serves to minimize both the crime and its impact.

And the use of the term "images of child sexual abuse" or "images of child sexual assault" more accurately describe the reality of these exploitive, violent and illegal images.

Therefore be it resolved:

That except when referring specifically to Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada, members of the BCACP will discontinue use of the term "child pornography" in all official and unofficial communications and replace it with the term "images of child sexual abuse" or "images of child sexual assault."

That when referring specifically to Section 163.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada members of the BCACP will use the words "child pornography, which is comprised of images of child sexual abuse/sexual assault".

Be it further resolved:

That the BCACP actively encourage the provincial government of British Columbia and all local governments in the province to adopt similar terminology.

Be it further resolved:

That the BCACP forward this resolution to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police for consideration in due course.

 

Backgrounder: Some facts about the CFUW & BCACP

The Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) BC Council

• CFUW BC Council is comprised of clubs in twenty-three communities across British Columbia.
• The CFUW organization of approximately 2000 women is non-partisan and totally member-funded.
• CFUW Policies are developed through resolutions presented and voted on by all member clubs at regional and national annual general meetings.
• The CFUW and its members place education and professional training at the service of our communities, participate in public affairs, and advocate for human rights and improvements to the status of women and girls.
• CFUW clubs also raise a significant amount of money annually for scholarships, bursaries and other charitable causes.
• The CFUW BC Council is a member of the Canadian Federation of University Women, which was founded in 1919 and currently has approximately 9000 members in clubs in every province.
• CFUW is the largest affiliate of the International Federation of University Women (IFUW). Both organizations have special consultative status at the United Nations.

The BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP)

• The BCACP Constitution was approved in 1981 and the Association was incorporated under the BC Society Act in 2013.
• "Active" membership in the Association is comprised of:
• The Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs of every municipal police force in BC as well as the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Organized Crime Agency of BC
• The Commanding officers of the RCMP’s "E" Division (British Columbia) and "M" Division (Yukon).
• Senior executive officers from the RCMP "E" Division and Lower Mainland District offices.
• "Associate" membership is comprised of partners who are involved in law enforcement in a restricted sphere and whose participation benefits the Association’s objectives.
• According to its Constitution, the Association has as its objectives:
• Encouraging and developing cooperation among members in the pursuit of excellence in policing
• Promoting a high standard of ethics, integrity, honour and conduct.
• Encouraging the development and implementation of efficient and effective practices in the prevention and detection of crime.
• Effectively communicating problems and concerns to the appropriate levels of authority.

---

1. Casavant, L. & Robertson, J. (2007). The Evolution of Pornography Law in Canada. Retrieved from http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/843‐e.htm
2. Government of Canada. (2009). Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime, Every Child, Every Image. Ottawa.
3. Tackling Violent Crime Act, 2008. Retrieved from http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/PDF/2008_6.pdf
4. Quayle, E. (2008). Child Exploitation and Sexual Exploitation of Children Online. Presented at III World Congress, Rio. Retrieved from www.iiicongressmundial.net
5. Schell, B.H. (2006). A Cyberchild Pornography Case in Point. Aggression and Violent Behaviour Vol 12 45-63. Elsevier. UK.
6. Toews, Vic (2012). Combating On-line Crime Against Children. Retrieved from http://www.victoews.com/news.asp?news_ID=663
7. Statistics Canada, Reported Crime Statistics, (2011).
8. Ibid.
9. Quayle, E. & Taylor, M. Pornography and the Internet (2001). Deviant Behaviour: An Interdisciplinary Journal (pp 331-357). Taylor & Francis, London.
10. Berkman Centre for Internet and Safety (2008). Enhancing On Line Safety and Technologies. Harvard. Cambridge, USA.
11. Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (2012). Retrieved from http://guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jun/14/police-raid-suspected-internet-paedophiles
12. European Commission (2010). Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Retrieved from http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-10-370_en.htm?locale=EN

 

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

As a result of media attention to a release earlier this week regarding an altercation between a pregnant woman and a wheelchair bound man at Metrotown Station, the man has come forward and provided Transit Police investigators with a statement. We thank him for his attention to this matter.

New information has been gathered which now broadens the scope of this active investigation.

A number of tips were provided by the public and we would like to thank both the public and the media for their assistance.

 

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.

Transit Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a wheelchair bound man who was involved in an altercation with a pregnant woman at the Metrotown SkyTrain Station.

At approximately 4:10 pm, February 20, 2013, two young women pushing strollers with their babies entered the elevator on the platform level of the Metrotown SkyTrain Station. A man in an electric wheelchair pushed his way onto the elevator, allegedly running over the feet of one of the women. An argument ensued, with the woman telling him she was going to call the police and taking a photo of him with her phone.

When the elevator reached the street level, the argument continued resulting in slaps and punches being exchanged. Prior to the man leaving the area he struck the woman numerous times in the head and face.

The incident was reported to a SkyTrain Attendant who called for an ambulance and Transit Police. Because the woman was seven months pregnant, Ambulance transported her to hospital to receive medical care. She suffered numerous cuts, bruises and scratches to her face, hands and leg. She was released from hospital later that evening.

The suspect is described as an aboriginal male, approximately 25-35 years old, black hair, moustache and goatee, brown eyes, wearing glasses, confined to a wheelchair.

Transit Police would very much like to speak to this man regarding this incident and would ask him to come forward. Anyone with any information concerning the identity of this man or this incident is asked to call Transit Police at 604-515-8300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, if they wish to remain anonymous.

 

Transit Police is committed to maintaining order, promoting safety and reducing crime on the transit system in Metro Vancouver.