Cop Bullying in Ottawa

Email sent to Carol December 12, 2004

Hi:

I liked your website and the content is sad to say the least.

I witnessed on one occassion the police ticketing under the safe
streets act.

(T----) and (T----, whom do not have to have their names written down if they do not care to...were at Tim Horton's on Bank Street at
Gloucester Street. They received two tickets in one day. One in the morning where T---- said the officer drove up on the curb to get to her to write her a ticket for panhandling.

I saw T---- and T---- later on in the day and two officers were
ticketing T----, T---- for the second time that same day. The officer ticketed T----(him) first and it was T----(her) that was supposed to be panhandling, but she was collecting donations for the Dominion Paper. T----(him) was just standing on the street on both occassions. The first ticket, I was not a witness to, but saw the tickets and received an explanation from T-----(her) whom was exasperated by this time.

The tickets were then delivered and photocopied by Doug Thompson,
Municipal councillor and he made mention that he would take care of the tickets.

I know the police have made an arrangement with Jane Scharf to allow for the Dominion to be distributed on the street.

Distribution does not mean soliciting and people are receiving a small
donation---a small amount that helps with food money and other people survival supplies for their hard work and contribution. The weather conditions are not always permittable or are detrimental, the sidewalk is cold and uncomfortable, and wet, and difficult to sit on.

T---- and T---- were very cooperative, and appeared discouraged by the oppressive conditioning they were experiencing at the hands of local authority, province, and municpalities.

T---- retrieved one police officers card. The police officer told T---- if she was caught there again he could arrest under her under the safe streets act and throw her in jail.

The police officer mentioned, the ticket was being given for being near the bus stop, and/or for panhandling---soliciting near a bus stop, and the officer referred to the safe streets act for the reason for the
incarceration threat.

The police officers words and attitude were in your face and I felt
that the male police officer was standing too close. The female officer did not say anything, she just stood by.

I felt worried about T---- because she seemed under a lot of stress and appeared under duress because she was being accused of something she didn't feel she was guilty of, she appeared disturbed and defenceless about being given a ticket and was not satisfied to say or do anything on her own behalf.

T---- told me later that he felt the police officer just handed him the
ticket for standing on the street and he voiced that he was just
standing there smoking a cigarrette. He was just standing there when I was a witness to the ticketing on the second occassion.

T---- also voiced to me that a woman police officer voiced to her on a previous occassion that she was ruining her breakfast. The same police officer told T---- she had just found a loophole and the accusation was that she was really panhandling.

I witnessed two men that were being picked up by the Salvation Army Van and one police officer was very cleary disturbed by my presence. I believe it was the same police officer that told T---- she had found a loophole. She looked kind of angry and kept indicating---- if I wanted something or who did I think I was and why was I standing there witnessing?

The men were both intoxicated. The other police officer smiled and
didn't voice any concerns about me standing there. She asked if I was a social worker or the indication was that I was in that line of work.

One man was intoxicated and he was trying to say that he couldn't drink in the shelter and/or on the street and indicated that the police officer had taken his alcohol.

The van came within 13 minutes.

Karen