An Abbotsford police officer who pushed a handcuffed shoplifting suspect into a wall hard enough to leave a dent has pleaded guilty to assault.
Const. Adam Page, 38, received one year probation and a conditional discharge, meaning he will have no criminal record if he has met all his conditions by the end of his probation.
Page was sentenced Thursday morning in Abbotsford provincial court.
Judge Rory Walters said the conditions will include Page taking some form of counselling, which could include anger management, if his probation officer feels it is necessary.
Crown lawyer Liane O’Grady had suggested that Page also be subject to some use-of-force retraining, but Walters backed off on making that a condition.
“I think that is an operational and professional matter that is best left to the managers of the Abbotsford Police force to determine as they see fit,” he said.
Page has been with the Abbotsford Police Department since 2004, mainly as a patrol officer. He was moved to front-desk duties after the assault came to light in April 2010.
He is now subject to disciplinary action, which, under the provincial Police Act, could include a reprimand, retraining, demotion in rank or even dismissal.
The assault occurred on Sept. 20, 2009 after police were called to a store in West Oaks Mall in the 32700 block of South Fraser Way.
A loss prevention officer reported that a man had shoplifted an electronic toothbrush, valued at about $100.
Video of the assault was played in court, but could only be seen by the judge. On the audio portion, the 37-year-old suspect can be heard responding to Page’s inquiries about his prior criminal record and his current address.
Page challenges the man’s stated residence and says he can be charged with obstruction if he is providing a false address.
The suspect denies that he is lying, and then scuffling can be heard.
O’Grady indicated during the submission of facts that Page had lifted the suspect from a seated position onto his feet and then pushed him into the wall, leaving a dent.
The man was not injured, but O’Grady said Page’s actions constituted an abuse of authority and an excessive use of force. She said the suspect was “defenceless, sitting down and handcuffed” at the time.
“There was no danger whatsoever of him escaping.”
Neither the suspect nor the loss prevention officer reported the matter to the APD. Instead, it was brought forward internally.
The judge ruled that Page must also apology to the man, either in a letter or in person.
