Camrose woman accusing Alberta sheriff of excessive force

[Drake]

A Camrose woman says she was left battered and bruised last Saturday following a traffic stop she will never forget.

Dr. Simona Tibu was on her way to see patients in Edmonton that morning, when she was pulled over by an Alberta sheriff for speeding.

Tibu claims the sheriff violently hit her window. When she opened it, he asked her to hand over her drivers license and insurance information.

“I advised him I would do so if he stopped hitting my car.”

Tibu also told him that if he didn’t, she would record him on her phone.

“At that moment, he became very violent. He took his hands through my window, hit my right hand, where I have bruises on it, smashed my cell phone out of my hands, and told me… ‘Get out of your car now.’”

She listened to the sheriff, who handcuffed her. With her arms behind her back, Tibu says the sheriff then began hitting her breasts.

Fearing for her life, she began to scream, hoping someone would hear her and help.

Tibu says that only made the sheriff even more aggressive. She claims he pressed his knees into hers until they were bruised, and pushed his pelvis into her back.

“I felt a hit in my head then he smashed my head on the pavement on the road until I was full of blood. Then he told me, ‘Now I’m going to walk all over you.’”

She remembers seeing a man show up, and eventually an RCMP officer and ambulance arrived at the scene.

http://globalnews.ca/news/772573/cam...exual-assault/

That is some ####ed up ####.

[Acey]

Surprised it's not a big story, it's been a couple days but I don't recall seeing it on any national news.

[KelVarnsen]

So you are judging all Canadian police by one bad apple?

[Rocky Raccoon]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

So you are judging all Canadian police by one bad apple?

Agreed, this is the first story of its kind I have heard of in Canada. It's just one single solitute bad apple, give them a break would you!

[schteve_d]

It's also one side of a story.

[psicodude]

Judging by how bad her injuries are and the fact that she has been charged with resisting, I bet there is WAY more to this story.

[Rathji]

To play devil's advocate on that, if I was a cop and just beat the crap out of anyone who might not have deserved it, the first thing I would do is charge them with resisting arrest if I was concerned about keeping my job and/or not going to jail.

There is obviously more to the story, but I can't imagine what it would be to warrant the injuries I assume she has to be making a statement like that.

[TurnedTheCorner]

We should have police more like they have in Syria or North Korea. For shame, Canadian police.

[WilderPegasus]

Sounds like the cop tapped on her window so she'd roll it down.

She took offence and gave the cop an ultimatum. When she refused his request for ID and instead decided to use her phone the cop removed the phone from her.

She then agreed to get out of the car where the cop handcuffed her. She got out of control and the cop took her down to control her. As he took her down she hit her head. He then used his body to keep her down.

Moral of the story: listen to the cop and do what he tells you to do.

[karl262]

There should be a dashcam/audio recording of the incident, so when that comes out it will be pretty cut and dry. No use speculating on who was in the wrong if there is such a record still to come out.

Unless of course there turns out to be some "malfunction" or something. I think that whenever you get pulled over you should have your phone recording whats going on. I'm not saying that all or even any cops are abusive but you just never know. Best to protect yourself just in case.

[schteve_d]

When a cop walks up to your window after pulling you over, why does he have to tap on your window for you to roll it down?

Just a question. I'm not suggesting the cop was in the right or the woman deserved what she got, but it sounds like the whole thing started with her having a bit of an attitude.

[DownhillGoat]

Regardless of who's side of the story is true, why wouldn't you have your window rolled down prior to the sherrif getting to your car. Leaving it up just seems like its asking for trouble. What's the thought process there? Maybe if I leave the window up he won't see me and just go away?

[Canuck-Hater]

That is disgusting. The officer will most likely get a slap on the wrist. The only way I can justify this is if she was a threat to the officer, which clearly she wasn't. Sounds like this officer went on a power trip, obey my orders or else I'l beat you. Just the fact that he allegedly said "Now I'm going to walk all over you", is quite disturbing.

[KelVarnsen]

I have a random thought, are we sure to it was a cop? This line made think.

She remembers seeing a man show up, and eventually an RCMP officer and ambulance arrived at the scene.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

I have a random thought, are we sure to it was a cop? This line made think.

That would be an awesome plot twist.

[GreenLantern]

I have heard of similar occurances from friends, even witnessed one with the RCMP in Banff that was recorded and involved my brother.

I imagine it is a tough, high stress job, but at the end of the day you are the professional and if people can push your buttons that easy maybe you are in the wrong line of work.

[J Diddy]

I've heard about and seen so many strange ways some police choose to handle situations. Man has a screw driver...shoot him 4 times. Surrounded man on subway car with a knife and nobody else onboard...shoot him 8 times then tazer him. Woman is being difficult at a traffic stop...beat her up. Is this really how they are being trained to handle situations?

Maybe it would be different if I were there and in the heat of the moment...but some of the things I have seen seem extreme when the training the police receive should provide so many more ways to resolve the situations.

[karl262]

These types of stories remind me of this article:

http://www.theonion.com/articles/ins...o-prove,33427/

RALEIGH, NC—Calling it his lifelong dream, local man Brendan Lockhart, an insecure and perpetually frustrated bully who believes he has something to prove to the world, told reporters Thursday that he is seriously considering a career in law enforcement.

Lockhart, a recent high-school graduate who sources confirmed is plagued by resentment, self-doubt, unexpected fits of rage, and has always had a penchant for tormenting those who are smaller and weaker than him, explained that he feels he is well suited to serve as a police officer.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cop,” said Lockhart, whose paranoia and inferiority complex constantly haunt him, leading him to lash out at others in order to convince them he is in control. “I know it’s a tough line of work, but I think I’ve got what it takes to earn my shield and get out there and keep the peace.”

“This is the job I was born to do,” continued the man whose main goal in life is to prove to others that he is strong, confident, and not afraid.

Friends and family confirmed that Lockhart, an unpredictable, petty individual who frequently loses his temper when he feels he is being threatened or disrespected, has in recent months been inquiring into joining the ranks of the Raleigh Police Department. In this role, the man with a massive chip on his shoulder and no visible sense of empathy would be tasked with peacefully resolving disputes and evenhandedly administering justice to members of the community over whom he would have official power.

[Peanut]

They see the worst of society all day, every day. And the vast majority of society really doesn't like them or appreciate them (as compared to say, firefighters. Everybody loves firefighters). I don't envy cops at all.

Anyways, my personal thoughts on why being a cop must be terrible really has nothing to do with this incident. Hopefully it was recorded on the dash-cam and whatever the truth is will come out.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by J Diddy

I've heard about and seen so many strange ways some police choose to handle situations. Man has a screw driver...shoot him 4 times. Surrounded man on subway car with a knife and nobody else onboard...shoot him 8 times then tazer him. Woman is being difficult at a traffic stop...beat her up. Is this really how they are being trained to handle situations?

Maybe it would be different if I were there and in the heat of the moment...but some of the things I have seen seem extreme when the training the police receive should provide so many more ways to resolve the situations.

I don't know the details to the screwdriver story. I do not know enough from the video of the Toronto officer to comment on that either although if the kid with the knife did start coming toward the officer after repeated warnings to drop the knife then he was justified in shooting him. As for the 8 times have you ever fired a handgun under stress? Maybe the officer was not sure he had hit him with the initial 3 shots and kept firing to elminate the threat, that is what he is trained to do. The taser...I have no answer for the taser. I think there has to be more to this story, the woman by law has to identify herself to the police officer so I am not sure why she kept her window up. If she refused to ID he would have grounds to arrest. I am not sure the use of force used here however was justified unless the officer believed she could pose a threat to his life. Some officers are a-holes, that is a fact and rather than try and talk to the person or do it in a more professional manner they will jump on any grounds to arrest and go right to use of force. Always take what the media says with a grain of sand as we don't know all the details. Remember, she can freely tell the media her side of the story but the officer cannot because he has to abide by the Police Services Act. At least here in Ontario that is the way it is, I am not sure what the provincial legislation for police is in Alberta. Don't judge all police officers by the rotten eggs.