The number of people injured in the care or custody of the Vancouver police who required medical treatment at a hospital has steadily increased since 2011 and could reach 200 people by year’s end.
The majority of injuries since 2011 were caused by police dog bites followed by “empty hand” takedowns, according to the Courier’s review of Vancouver Police Department reports on injuries and statistics obtained from the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
The data shows 182 people in the first nine months of this year required a trip to hospital after being involved in incidents with police. Ninety people suffered dog bites and 45 were injured in takedowns.
Steadily, injuries have increased from 139 in 2011 to an average of 188 over the last three years. The data shows that, in some cases, police used more than one type of use of force that led to a trip to the hospital.
Other injuries reported this year were related to the use a beanbag shotgun (14), a Taser (eight), an Arwen plastic bullet gun (two) and one case involving a gun.
Police Chief Adam Palmer said the statistics have to be put into context before the public draws conclusions about the reasons for the hospital visits. Statistics for the last two years show 56 of the injuries were self-inflicted, which could include a suspect falling to the ground while running from police.
“It could be a relatively minor injury but we take them to the hospital and they get checked out,” said Palmer, noting another reason for the increase in injuries this year can be attributed to more calls for service. “So it’s logical that if there’s more demand for police, you’re going to go to more incidents and you’re going to have more issues like that.”
Const. Brian Montague, a VPD media relations officer, said in an email that an injury suffered by a suicidal person who refuses to cooperate with police and proceeds to harm him or herself is also reported in the statistics.
“Those are obviously difficult for us to control,” Montague said. “Bottom line is police never have to use force on someone who is cooperative and complies with the directions of officers.”
Mayor Gregor Robertson, who doubles as chairperson of the Vancouver Police Board, echoed the chief’s explanation for the spike in injuries, pointing to the increased calls for service.
“What’s important is that all of this is transparent and clearly reported,” the mayor told the Courier. “It’s not the case everywhere in the world. But it is important that people are paying attention and that’s why we have a civilian police board to make sure that we’re tracking trends.”
Lawyer Douglas King of Pivot Legal Society said the statistics related to dog bites are troubling and he hopes tighter provincial rules related to police dogs that came into effect in September will lead to a decrease in injuries.
“It should be alarming anytime somebody is sent to the hospital by the police,” said King, noting he is worried about what he believes has become a common justification of the Vancouver police and other departments for using force: officer safety. “I can’t tell you how many cases I’m seeing now where somebody has got pretty high levels of force used against them because they didn’t show their hands fast enough. Of course, the people who talk to me say, ‘I was compliant, I was giving myself up.’”
King added the best way to “clear up these credibility battles” is to equip police with body cameras, an initiative the VPD continues to study.
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