Rusty Iron Ring wrote:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/01/21/bc-vpd-alleged-assault-yao-wei-wu.html

The Vancouver Police Department has issued an apology after a man said he was beaten by officers who knocked on the wrong door while investigating a report of a violent domestic dispute.
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Speaking through a translator, Yao Wei Wu told CBC News that as soon as he opened the door the officers pulled him out of the house and beat him.
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It was only after they handcuffed him and asked his name that they appeared to realize they had the wrong man, Yao said.
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Yao was taken to hospital where he said doctors found fractured bones around his eye and multiple bruises on his back.
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"The man resisted by striking out at the police and trying to slam the door, but the officers persisted in the belief that there may be a woman and child inside who could be in danger."


Vancouver cops are awesome. They don't even try to customize their standard-form excuses to the actual situation at hand. "Yes, we knocked on the wrong door and some person who had done nothing wrong and had no idea why we were there answered. And then he spontaneously turned into a dangerous criminal, struck out at us and tried to slam to door, so we had no choice but to break a few bones."
Didn't read the article, but I can see why you might force your way into someone's house if you believe that there has been a recent domestic assault. As long as nothing more happened (once inside), R v Goday (SCC), and the warrantless entry sections of the CC would support this. Of course, you have to have sympathy for the victim as well. It's his house, and he hasn't done anything wrong. I would read it as a lack of prudence by the police, rather than any bad faith.


Edited 1 time by Hunter S Thompson Jan 22 10 8:11 AM.