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MONDAY, MARCH 20, 2017
Protection vs. a weapon ABDIRAHMAN ABDI CASE
‘Assault gloves’ at heart of officer’s assault charge Dylan C. Robertson
For Metro | Ottawa In light of suggestions that an Ottawa police officer’s use of reinforced gloves was a key consideration in serious charges brought against him, there are now questions over how much liability officers have for the equipment provided to them. Const. Daniel Montsion was charged last week with manslaughter, aggravated assault and assault with a weapon in the controversial July death of Abdirahman Abdi. According to media leaks, the weapons charge is related to the officer’s use of “assault gloves” which are reinforced with carbon fibre over the knuckles. Bruce Chapman, president of the Police Association of Ontario, which represents low- and mid-rank officers across the province, said many were surprised
to hear a glove they use to avoid knives and syringes could be deemed a weapon. “It’s a form of protection for their hands; that’s the purpose of the glove,” he said. “Where is the line, and how is it drawn, that a piece of equipment that’s used to protect an officer is considered a weapon?” Ontario’s community safety ministry regulates weapons used by police forces, and said that gloves and other protective equipment aren’t classified as weapons, so they’re not part of the use-of-force training required every 12 months. Paul Lewandowski, a prominent criminal defence lawyer, said these gloves can be used to smash open windows and guard police from bullets. “Any officer is allowed to use force to effect an arrest. But of course they have to be acting with lawful authority,” he said. Lewandowski said anything can be considered a weapon under the Criminal Code, which explicitly states: “weapon means any thing used, designed to be used or intended for use” to injure, kill or intimidate someone. “A gun fits that, a knife fits that,” he said, “but basically anything designed or intended for use to injure someone.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau waves to the crowd as he walks with his daughter Ella-Grace during the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Montreal, Sunday. THE CANADIAN PRESS
PRE-BUDGET MARCH Trudeau’s Liberals will present the budget this week in an economic climate that’s far from typical metroNEWS 15 CREDITS / 5 COURSES IN THE FOLLOWING FIELDS: • • • •
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