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THE HERALD January T Prisoners didnt complain about vans heat accused police tell sweatbox hearing judge fly LOW TAYLOR Herald writer Two Regional Police officers charged with discred itable conduct and neglect of duty testified last week that they dont remember any of the prisoners complaining bout the heat in the rear of the police van in which they were being transported to Metro West Detention Centre from the Milton provincial court house last August Testimony at the hearing Into charges against Con stables Raj 39 and Arnold Vancllef con eluded last Wednesday with the summations by the two lawyers being postponed until February to provide the lawyers with the opportunity to obtain transcripts or the proceedings to date The hearings presided over by Chief County Court Judge William Colter was called after complaints were recciv from a group of prisoners They said the two constables who had been acting as prison escorts fastened the hand cults too on the prison ers drove with the heater on In the van in spite of the temper ature being over degrees that day and drove the van in an erratic manner which resulted In the prisoners being thrown about in the bock Of the van One prisoner pass ed out during the trip as a result of the heat PRISONER ESCORT Constable Vancllef testified that his work as a prisoner escort was on overtime assign ment in addition to his regular shift which at that day was from p to midnight He said that before starting out that morning he had been warned by his superior officer Staff Sergeant Eric Bullock that information had been received to the effect that an escape attempt would be mode by one of the prisoners during the day He was also told that an attempt might be made to smuggle a gun to this prisoner Frederick sometime during the day and that he was to take whatever security precautions he found including the use of leg for a prisoner to cut himself the band on the lower side LOOKED IN BACK Constable Swamlnathln said that he looked in the back of the van from lime to time and could only see he prisoners WINTER WONDERLAND Last Wednesdays heavy snowfall turned Hilts Into something at a winter wonderland much to the delight of skiers and and much to the chagrin of snow shovellers and motorists Roadside trees trimmed with snowy Icing nevertheless offered some picturesque scenes such as this one on Main Street south Constable said shackles were used on Mr Carley in the morning but it took some time to get them on over the high boots he was wearing As a result they movmgabout and hear them used during the after- shouting and cursing When he noon trip opened the window to ask The removal of the prison about the commotion they personal belongings such yelled racial insults and spat as Jackets tobacco and ma- at him so he closed it again was a result of a new They looked like they were rule which had been instituted having fun In there together a few weeks prior to August 14 he said Constable Vancllef said but Constable said it the prisoners were angered by warm in the front of the the rule and when he tried to van but that it wasnt until the collect their Jackets several of van was close to Metro West them dashed their coats on the that he realized that it might be uncomfortably hot in the In response to questions back He said the commotion about the prisoners the van seemed as per usual lions that he had deliberately but that if he had been aware stepped on their Jackets Con here was a problem he would stable Vancllef said he had have stopped dropped one or two of the It wasn t until the van jackets and accidentally at the Metro West Detention Ie Centre that the two officers pushed the fa Hen jackets to said they discovered Griff one side with his foot and said Branch was unconscious in the this might have looked to the of the van and this was prisoners if he had kicked at only after they had entered the security area and gone over to TRP the command module which Constable Vancllef testified monitors the movement of the prisoners to identify them been loaded Into the van for the been quiet for a time began tion Centre in the afternoon kicking at the van door and it Constable had to bulged visibly go look for driver of a Constable said he exit from the courthouse MW M area While he was constable gone the prisoners rocked the Swaminathin went to the com van back and forth After they module told them there stopped Constable Vancllef sold he heard someone say the van unC Lets wait until he gels on I flnd for some the and changes lanes WQter The correctional officer said he had no access to water said that he placed a jacket over the window between the mimiles before the Metro Tor cab and the rear of the van so prisoners were that the prisoners would not processed that the know when the van was on the go in He removed it when the van actually got on Highway Dunne this time Constable because he hear the Vancliefsaid he stood at the prisoners moving around In back or the van with the the back of the van but he door open He closed the door couldnt see what they were doing He left the window the garage opened without closed because it was his habit warning but that Mr Branch to drive with the windows foot which had been against closed it helps with the door was only pushed In privacy and keeps the pri and not caught In the door as from spitting at the the prisoners had testified officers he said The aide to Milton PRISONERS police station was because his When it came time to unload regulor shift had begun Con he prisoners both constables stable Vancl said and he testified that they asked the had to check with his superior prisoners to move out of the officer to find out whether he von so that they could get in to was to continue with prisoner assist Mr Branch The escort or be replaced by prisoners stayed put and said someone else while he went on If you want him you come in regular patrol Ho told the and get him Constable court he thought it was just as said fasttodnve to the station as to At that time we thought phone from Maplehurst discretion was the better part Centre where they had of valor he added We gone to drop off one prisoner I want to get our heads Communicating by the radio in punched in the van would have taken up Earlier In the week the loo much air time and would court heard testimony from have meant a delay In relaying other Regional Police the message from the dis officers regarding the in by tele- of the van and also the phone to Milton method by which information Constable Vanchef said at about a passible escape at one point during the trip he tempt was received heard the sound of handcuffs Sergeant Jason Field testl being tightened as if it were fled that he had transported being done deliberately He five prisoners from Acton to said he never doublelocks Georgetown in that van which handcuffs which would pre- is the only von available for vent their being tightened use in Acton Georgetown and because it frequently makes Milton in the summer them difficult to open Con He described how the prison stable Swaminathin said he ers complained of the heat never doublelocks handcuffs and said that since they were because it makes it possible quiet he opened the window into the back of the van and felt a gush of heat from the back of the von Sergeant Robertson and Constable Ian of Investigations division in trictl Milton Georgetown an Acton testified that they had been informed by Niagara Regional Police thai Mr Car- ley might attempt to escape and that an attempt might be made to smuggle a gun to him during one of his court appear and they passed this information on to Staff Bullock Constables Ray Hendry and Tom Nicholson described an occasion in September follow the August 14 incident when they acted as prisoner escorts using the van Bo officers described the van as a vehicle with a rough ride They said the prisoners on that occasion also complained of the heat A number of police officers called on to testify said the vans heavy duty ion makes for a rough ride and they also said the van vibrates if driven at speeds in excess of 50 miles per hour The bearing originally sche duled for five days has lasted seven days already and has now adjourned until February at which time the lawyers for both sides will make their summations Supples Croft Courses Custom Orden Repairs Imp STAINED GLASS ETC SUITE IIS nt Floor Next to McDonalds 4513264 mema know Inn 111 who tin ilfliMii lumiiiiiK inil without uiuhing in tin- 1 imniiu tin of foi whom tin 12ncipinlia IkcMKiwk k in of who- I oltk iui 1 pnon lor tin mil lotion onus ire iwnlMik k wriiiii Council 1AI 1110111 nn lit All 111111 kuikilv in mil April 17 Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship