VPD chief facing criticism over riot

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – After a day of rest, Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu is having to answer to criticism today.

The chief wanted to round up reporters to thank the public for all of the cards, letters, and emails the VPD has received over the past 48 hours. He apologized to the Good Samaritans downtown who were attacked as they tried to stop rioters from breaking windows on some of the store fronts.

However, the Chief is still taking a lot of criticism for how the riot was handles that night. When asked by reporters if he got the funding and resources he wanted from Vancouver City Hall, Chu responded that he takes full responsibility for how police handled the riot, but there are many things he’d have done differently.

Police have confirmed they’re recommending several charges against one person so far. His identity has not been released. Six people have turned themselves in.

Police want people to send them any pictures or videos of rioters.

Transit Police Do Their Part

Transit Police officers were kept very busy during Wednesday night’s riot and the force says it did all it could to stop the flow of booze into downtown Vancouver on SkyTrain.
    
“Trains were crush-loaded,” says Sergeant Mark Applejohn, saying it was so packed some of their officers had trouble getting to their posts in the downtown core.

Transit cops made 33 arrests and 2700 liquor pour-outs.

Applejohn says they did their best to remove booze and get people out of downtown, but they couldn’t check everyone.

“Even with every available resource, it is not realistic to expect that we have the manpower to man each and every station.  We know the major exit points coming into the downtown core, as well as the major points of people coming onto the system,” says Applejohn.
    
Three transit cops were hurt during the riot but not badly.
       
“What we wanted to do was to stem the flow of people into the downtown core so it wouldn’t exacerbate the problem downtown and heighten our service to get people out of the downtown core as fast as we could get them out of there,” says Applejohn.

Tourism Minister’s response

BC Tourism Minister Pat Bell doesn’t think the good reputation Vancouver built up during the Winter Olympics has been wiped out by Wednesday’s riot.
    
“While the globe saw some unfortunate pictures, I’m sure they will also recall what went on during the 2010 Olympics,” he says. “And they can have confidence that they can come and be very safe here in British Columbia.”

Bell says he was in downtown Vancouver Wednesday night and says he never felt unsafe.

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