Abbotsford Police Emails Reveal Demeaning Attitude Toward The Homeless

By Mike Archer. A series of emails released today and obtained by Abbotsford Today, reveals that, while the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) was unaware of the June 4th dumping of manure on Abbotsford homeless citizens until after it occurred, the APD’s relationship with Abbotsford’s homeless population has been anything but friendly or professional.

Photo: Abbotsford Police Chief Bob Rich

The emails, obtained as a result of a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Request (FOI) by the Pivot Legal Society, show officers joking about the Abbotsford Chicken Manure Homeless Incident, the homeless, and those who work with them, in what can only be described as demeaning and derogatory language and reveal, what Pastor Ward Draper, of The 5 and 2 Ministries,describes as a sad and unfortunate lack of respect on the part of the APD.

In a column published today on Abbotsford Today, Draper says, “Outright mocking and hurtful words are found in this stream of communication demonstrating a lack of understanding or compassion. I was particularly upset by the words our police chief, Bob Rich used in this chain of emails when word of Pivot’s legal action began to circulate inside the department,” referring to this email from police chief Bob Rich:

From: Bob Rich, Sent: Friday, July 05,2013 11:09 AM Pacific Standard Time To: Ian MacDonald; Rick Lucy; Len Goerke Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Oh please let it be so! I would need a copy of that writ. Damages would be what, hurt feelings, or?

“It is sad to see such disregard for our homeless community members. I am truly shocked that real human rights violations can be taken so lightly by our leaders, said Draper.

The emails demonstrate that the APD did not know of the June 4th Abbotsford Chicken Manure Homeless Incident until after it occurred but the language used reveals, according to Draper, a relationship that requires a great deal of work.

One email sent Wednesday, June 05,2013, the day the revelations about the chicken manure incident came out, to APD media representative Ian MacDonald states, ” Hi Ian, This is for a heads-up…as far as I know the APD had nothing to do with the decision to deposit the chicken manure…”

Chief Constable Bob Rich replied to that email saying, “Really, I mean if you think about it, its a chicken shit story for sure.”

That was followed by “I think this is going to hit the fan for the City from Inspector Tom Chesley of the OIC Operations Support Branch of the APD.

______

Samples from the emails:
From: len Goerke Sent: Friday, July 05, 2013 01:43 PM Pacific Standard Time To: Bob Rich; Rick lucy; Ian MacDonald Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
I will freely range hunting and pecking for something you can cluck about.

Len Goerke Deputy Chief Constable – Administration Abbotsford Police Department 604-864-4822

—– Original Message —– From: Bob Rich Sent: Friday, July OS, 2013 01:28 PM To: Len Goerke; Rick Lucy; Ian MacDonald Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Let us know if you think of something funny! (Please)

—– Original Message —– From: Len Goerke Sent: Friday, July OS, 2013 12:50 PM To: Rick Lucy; Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
A new cackle to the Fraser Valley’s agribusiness. Shall I continue to put your funny bones on the chopping block?
Len Goerke Deputy Chief Constable – Administration Abbotsford Police Department 604-864-4822

—– Original Message —– From: Rick Lucy Sent: Friday, July OS, 2013 12:25 PM To: Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich; Len Goerke Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Can’t make this sh#* up.

—– Original Message —– From: Ian MacDonald Sent: Friday, July OS, 2013 11:16 AM Pacific Standard Time To: Bob Rich; Rick Lucy; Len Goerke Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit

Attention over substance for sure. Lawyer looking to boost his/her profile. Very John Grisham novel – say The Litigators. Sent using BlackBerry

—– Original Message —– From: Bob Rich Sent: Friday, July 05,2013 11:09 AM Pacific Standard Time To: Ian MacDonald; Rick Lucy; Len Goerke Subject: Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Oh please let it be so! I would need a copy of that writ. Damages would be what, hurt feelings, or?

—– Original Message —– From: Ian MacDonald Sent: Friday, July 05, 2013 11:04 AM To: Bob Rich; Rick Lucy; len Goerke Subject: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Please take this with a grain of salt at this point. Not a lot of details but a French CBC reporter told me a lawyer is expected to announce a class action lawsuit against the city of Abby today for the chicken manure incident.

I have only heard this from French CBC to this point. Ian Sent using BlackBerry

Jane Meachin
From: Len Goerke
Sent: Friday, July 05, 2013 12:46 PM
To: Rick Lucy; Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich
Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Subject: Chickens come home to roost.

Len Goerke Friday, July 05, 2013 12:46 PM Rick Lucy; Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich Re: Chicken Manure class action lawsuit
Len Goerke Deputy Chief Constable – Administration Abbotsford Police Department

——

In the days following the chicken manure dump and the increasing media attention from around the world. The tone of the emails begins to change and officers are warned that, “for the next while” there is a need to centralize all responses to homeless camps.

——

Samples from the emails:

From: Tom Chesley Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2013 7:40 AM To: Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich; Rick Lucy; Len Goerke; Brett Crosby Jones Subject: Re: Chicken Manure Media – Audio of interviews including Conservation for Environmental assessments

Once the dust settles on this we are going to have to proceed very thoughtfully on every camp for the foreseeable future.

I think for the next while we need to centralize all responses to camps through the Bike Squad, as the APD reps on ISET. Exceptions of course would include
when there is an immediate public safety issue. If you agree, I will ask Brett to communicate this to Patrol and I will ensure Doug W is aware. Tom
Insp. Tom Chesley OIC Operations Support Branch Abbotsford Police Department 604.835.2343 Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Device

From: Mike Stach Sent: Wednesday, June 05,2013 02:12 PM To: Ian MacDonald Cc: Tom Chesley Subject: FW: Tree Across from Salvation Army, on Gladys Avenue
Hi Ian, This is for a heads-up…as far as I know the APD had nothing to do with the decision to deposit the chicken manure…

From: Ian MacDonald Sent: Wednesday, June 05,201302:06 PM To: Bob Rich; Tom Chesley Subject: RE: The Province and others have called about manure story

From: Bob Rich Sent: Wednesday, June OS, 2013 2:05 PM To: Tom Chesley; Ian MacDonald Subject: Re: The Province and others have called about manure story
Really, I mean if you think about it, its a chicken shit story for sure.

From: Tom Chesley Sent: Wednesday, June OS, 2013 02:04 PM To: Ian MacDonald; Bob Rich Subject: Re: The Province and others have called about manure story
I think this is going to hit the fan for the City.
Insp. Tom Chesley OIC Operations Support Branch Abbotsford Police Department 604.835.2343 Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Device

From: Ian MacDonald Sent: Wednesday, June 05,2013 01:59 PM To: Bob Rich; Tom Chesley Subject: The Province and others have called about manure story

The Province is following the Abbotsford Today headline “Abbotsford Spreads Chicken Manure in City to rid Itself of the Homeless” . http:Uwww.abbotsfordtoday.ca!abbotsford-spreads-chicken-manure-to-rid-itself-of-the-homeless!

I have made Katherine aware of the Province call. Regards,

Cst. Ian MacDonald #290 Public Information Officer Abbotsford Police Department Desk: 604-864-4721 Cell: 604-835-6070 Email: imacdonald@abbypd.ca

From: Tom Chesley
Sent: Tuesday, June 04, 2013 2:23 PM
To: Bob Rich
SUbject:

Crisis averted. decision someone made to dump a load of chicken manure over the area where the homeless were squatting across the from the Sally Ann. It was a decision of someone at the City, not APD and this has been clearly communicated.

——

Ward Draper, along with Pastor Jesse Wegenast, also of The 5 and 2 Ministries, told members of the Abbotsford Social Development Advisory Committee (ASDAC) at a special meeting on June 12, that the City’s treatment of the homeless revealed on Abbotsford Today June 5 [Abbotsford Chicken Manure Homeless Incident], was anything but an isolated incident.

Draper and Wegenast told the ASDAC that Abbotsford police routinely harass homeless people, cutting their tent apart with knives, spraying their belongings with pepper spray and generally terrorizing and abusing them.

The APD has asked for a special investigation by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) into the allegations.

Police Chief Bob Rich has openly admitted his department has had a policy to “displace and disperse”. At a public forum about 18 months ago – “My policy is displace and disperse … we only respond to complaints from citizens … we don’t seek the homeless out.”

In an editorial published June 12, entitled An old sore exposed, the Abbotsford News told their readers, “We are led to believe this was the work of a handful of lower level authorities in city hall who thought they were taking affirmative action on a long-standing problem.”

On July 22, 2013, a series of emails obtained by the CBC revealed that as many as five departments at the City of Abbotsford were involved in the planning and execution of the June 4, chicken manure incident.

On July 24, 2013, an email obtained by Abbotsford Today revealed the Abbotsford Salvation Army had been consulted by City officials prior to the chicken manure dump and had been “in agreement” with the plan.

For the complete text of the emails released .
click here

Join the discussion 15 Comments

  • The Editor says:

    M Palomita Caminando Says:
    Total bullshit – but not surprising at all. This attitude extends to all BC Housing developments and most of downtown. These officers need some sensitivity training.

    From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Today-Media/447088788677534?ref=hl

  • The Editor says:

    M Palomita Caminando Says:
    Chief needs to take a walk, too. I mean, how stupid is he to make those comments knowing that they were not secure. If he lacks judgement in something as simple as not being a total dickhead via government email, what other judgement calls has he bombed on?

    From Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Today-Media/447088788677534?ref=hl

  • The Editor says:

    Lynn Perrin Says:
    From the emails obtained by Pivot Legal through FOI I wonder how the APD
    can be “Champions” of the “Abbotsford City of Character”?

    http://www.abbycharacter.com/about/champions/index.html

  • The Editor says:

    RegimeChangeVictoria @SteveFilipovic Says:

    This is disturbing to say the least, a question one might ask in #bcpoli is why are Cops used to deal with #poverty? not illegal?

    From Twitter https://twitter.com/SteveFilipovic/status/368210512040824832

  • kagey1 says:

    Although I am in favour of ACS’s wishes to build housing for at risk and homeless men on their downtown property, I would like to provide another perspective to the APD’s emails.

    I used to work in a local penitentiary. Like the police, we faced dangerous clients, untimely death scenarios, incredible stress, concern for our personal well-being as well as our peers and clients, and had to deal with some of the worst society has to offer. I believe being a police officer would be harder, since they have less control over their environment and clients. One of the coping skills we adopted was black humour. It was a way to stay sane when I was fingerprinting dead bodies, cleaning up blood after two people tried to kill each other, or talked to a co-worked who had just discovered a body with 17 stab wounds. If you had heard some of our discussions, you’d think we were jaded, inhuman, monsters. But many of us were compassionate people trying to make a difference while staying sane enough to go home and love our wives and kids. This is a good case of walking in someone’s shoes before taking shots! Our police are not perfect, but they are human beings who have to deal with things you could never imagine!!

  • Observation says:

    Len Goerke is now Chief of Police in West Vancouver and continues to serve as a Board member of UFV Alumni Association. Woo hoo, that’s our Leadership.

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