Whistle blower in Frank Paul inquiry feels disappointed
Vancouver/CKNW(AM980) 4/2/2008
Disappointed. That's how the man who blew the whistle on the alleged cover-up of Frank Paul’s death says he feels after learning Vancouver police accused him of being a liar.
Dana Urban was the former counsel for the office of the police complaint commission who helped investigate the 1998 freezing death of the aboriginal man in a Vancouver alley. He denies VPD claims he 'manufactured' evidence to ensure a public inquiry would go ahead. "
At the very least...disappointed to hear that they've said that. I've been at this business for 33 years and I’ve been called many things, but one thing that I’ve never been called is dishonest or has it ever been suggested that I’ve manufactured evidence."
Urban --who currently works as an international prosecutor against war criminals-- says he was surprised by a lack of interest in the file from former OPCC commissioner Don Morrison...who told him he didn't want to ruin the career of constable David Instant...the young officer who left Paul in the alley.
He also claims the police version of events do not match up with forensic evidence collected by the coroner's office.
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Yes, it makes so much sense to protect the career of a young White cop versus find the truth in the death of a disabled, homeless Native man. At least it makes sense if you are White powerful men, who gives a rat's about anyone else but your homeys. Institutionalized racism at it's best.
Mr. Urban, you are to be applauded for standing up for what's right, as disappointing and ugly as the backlash is. It just reinforces what so many know, the Vancouver Police Department is a joke, as are so many of the other police forces. The leadership of these organizations would be very smart if they stopped the insularity, the secrecy and did fair investigations into misconduct & then took swift action to remove these elements from your organizations. You cannot afford to continue to turn a blind eye, nor walk away from justice to protect employees who will cause nothing but problems & bad optics for your police organizations. You also end up paying the price by allowing internal bullying from staff to staff. All of it continues to give police organizations a bad image & name, because its the actions of those in power in dealing with the most vulnerable and marginalized citizens in our society that speak so much louder than any of the other stuff cops do to gain positive media attention these days.
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Police complaint commissioner protected officer, inquiry hears
Gerry Bellett, Vancouver Sun
Published: Wednesday, April 02, 2008
VANCOUVER - Former police complaint commissioner Don Morrison refused to order a public hearing into the death of Frank Paul because he wanted to save the career of the young police officer who had dumped Paul in a cold and wet alley where he died of exposure, former commission counsel Dana Urban testified today.
Urban was testifying at the public inquiry into Paul's death after flying in to Vancouver from Sri Lanka where he is Canada's representative on an international body attempting to persuade the Sri Lankan government to comply with international standards for the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the murders of 78,000 civilians during the past 18 years.
Paul, an Aboriginal from New Brunswick, was arrested for being drunk in December, 1998, but he was refused entry in the Vancouver police jail.
A video taken at the cells shows him being dragged in and out of jail in an insensible state. He was then driven by Const. David Instant, a young and inexperienced officer, to an alley where he found dead some hours later.
Urban's testimony had been eagerly awaited by Paul's family.
Paul's cousin Peggy Clement made the journey from New Brunswick to Vancouver to be present for Urban's testimony.
She credited Urban's dogged efforts to get to the truth of what had happened to her cousin and how he was treated by the Vancouver police the night of his death, as being the main reason behind the public inquiry being held.
"Dana's testimony is so important for the family because for two years we believed what we were told [by a Vancouver police officer] that Frank had died as the result of a hit and run. He [Urban] contacted us and told us what happened. If it had not been for Dana we would never get to the truth," she said.
© Vancouver Sun
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