A GUIDE TO THIS FALL’S PRINTS, SHAPES AND TRENDS STYLE {page 26}
MOVES LIKE MJ JAY-Z THINKS BEYONCÉ’S THE ‘SECOND COMING’ {page 25}
VANCOUVER
Thursday, August 18, 2011 www.metronews.ca News worth sharing.
Lack of riot charges has VPD on defensive Police Chief Jim Chu says rushed charges will result in acquittals Video evidence is being processed in a top American lab to speed up investigations MATT KIELTYKA/METRO
MATT KIELTYKA
Fans celebrate Rypien Makeshift memorial at Rogers Arena draws more than 200 {page 3}
‘It’s going to fly right by’
@METRONEWS.CA
The surge of public frustration and impatience over the lack of charges stemming from Vancouver’s Stanley Cup riot two months ago came to a head yesterday. Under siege, Vancouver police Chief Jim Chu, whose department has not had any riot-related charges approved, addressed media and stressed that “hundreds” of charges will be laid but only after thorough investigations. “If you are in favour of speed, you are in favour of more acquittals and lighter sentences,” Chu shot back amid intense scrutiny from media, the public and commentators. “If we rush cases to court, we risk losing them by being ineffective and inefficient.” Comparisons are being drawn to the riots in England, where police have laid more than 1,000 charges. But Chu said given the nature of the violence, demographics, and policing and legal framework, the two riots are simply “incomparable.” “The short answer is that Canada is not Britain,” he said. “Our laws are different, our courts are different and our riots are different.” He said that even the 41 people who turned themselves in haven’t been charged, because suspects could be admitting to lesser offences to escape stiffer penalties.
Local
Contest winner begins 80-day stint at YVR {page 6}
Baby, I’m coming back home Vancouver police Chief Jim Chu updates media and calls for patience yesterday as investigators prepare cases against suspects allegedly involved in the June 15 Stanley Cup riot.
To date, police have identified and are investigating 259 separate criminal events on the night of June 15. Nearly 270 suspects have been identified, and police plan to launch a new website soon asking the public to help identify about 150 more. More than 1,600 hours of riot footage will be sent to the stateof-the-art National Digital Multi-
media Evidence Processing Lab at the University of Indianapolis. Chu said employing the American lab will cut down the time it takes to process video evidence from up to two years to a matter of months. Speaking later in the day at a media conference, Premier Christy Clark said she was “frustrated” by the slow process. “I am still angry at what hap-
pened at the Stanley Cup riots,” she said. “I’m frustrated. I have to have confidence in the VPD ... that they’re putting really strong evidence together.” Meanwhile, former Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee head John Furlong and former Nova Scotia deputy minister Doug Keefe are expected to wrap up their independent review of the riot by Aug. 31.
Sailor aboard Canadian warship due to meet newborn son after Libyan mission {page 16}
Chilling out with Jeff Bridges Actor turns introspective with new album {page 23}