Pubdate: Sat, 14 May 2005
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Gerry Bellett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers)

OFFICER LOSES HERO STATUS AFTER STANLEY PARK ASSAULT

Gabriel Kojima Disarmed A Biker While Still In Training

VANCOUVER - A young and inexperienced police officer described how his 
career went from hero to zero in little more than a year as the result of 
being involved in assaulting three drug dealers in Stanley Park.

In November 2001 Const. Gabriel Kojima, now 26, was hailed as a hero for 
fighting and disarming an armed Hells Angels gang member while he was still 
in training.

For this he received a deputy chief's commendation.

But in January, 2003, he and a fellow constable, Duncan Gemmell -- both 
fairly new to the department -- were fired by Vancouver Police Chief Jamie 
Graham for their part in the beatings of Barry Lawrie, Jason Desjardins and 
Grant Wilson.

Six officers were found guilty of assaulting the men but only Gemmell and 
Kojima were ordered dismissed.

Officially the pair are still police officers suspended without pay but 
they are seeking to have the chief's decision overturned by the B.C. Police 
Complaints Commissioner.

The month-long hearing by adjudicator Donald Clancy has heard various 
versions of what occurred during the night of Jan. 14, 2003, when police 
officers arrested Wilson -- a notorious drug dealer and thief who refused 
their orders to stay out of the Granville Mall area -- and took him and the 
others to Stanley Park.

The officers admitted they took the trio to intimidate them into staying 
away, as they were attempting to stop the spread of open drug dealing from 
the Downtown Eastside into Granville Mall. But their version of the force 
used on the men is at odds with what the victims claim was a brutal beating.

Const. Troy Peters, who didn't take part in the assaults but whose report 
led to the officers being charged, told of the men being pummeled and kicked.

On Friday Kojima said he was doing field training with a police officer in 
November 2001 when they heard a report of a fight in a Granville nightclub.

"At that point we didn't do anything about it because that often happens 
down there. But then we heard there was a police officer involved in the 
altercation and he was asking for cover and from the voices coming over the 
radio it was clear he was in a difficult situation," said Kojima.

They then heard the fight in the Plaza night club involved a full-colour 
member of the Hells Angels and a weapon had been recovered.

When they arrived he and his supervisor provided backup to other officers 
when "a large male" came out of the Plaza and began yelling at one of the 
bouncers.

His supervisor went to the male and asked him to come over "for a chat with 
us but for our safety he wanted to search him" because of the Hells Angels 
involvement, said Kojima. "It seemed to be okay with this male but when he 
went towards him he knocked his hands away and attempted to run off."

Kojima chased him and grabbed his jacket when the suspect pulled a pistol. 
He wrestled him to the ground and held him until other officers arrived.

The hearing continues.
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