Allegations that two Victoria police officers abused their authority while attempting to subdue a man last year are unsubstantiated, according to New Westminster’s police chief.
The case garnered enormous public attention after a video footage of Const. Chris Bowser kicking Tyler Archer on March 21, 2010 was posted on YouTube.
Because only a portion of the incident was recorded, Chief David Jones said in his findings that “it is key that decisions not be made solely on the basis of what is captured on video, but what the entire set of evidence presented establishes.”
His report was released Wednesday following a Police Act investigation into the actions of Bowser and Const. Brendan Robinson.
Archer and another man proved uncooperative, and did not attend the Police Act hearing earlier this year.
Once the officers had Archer in a controlled handcuffed position, they stopped using excessive force, Jones wrote.
“In other words, their use of force appears to be and has been explained as being necessary to bring Mr. Archer under control,” he said.
The Vancouver Police Department conducted an earlier criminal investigation into the incident, but charges were not recommended.
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner is now reviewing the police chief’s decision and will decide by the end of January whether to hold a public hearing, order a review or support the decision.
