A coroner’s jury has made 5 recommendations regarding police interventions following an inquest into the death of Michel Vienneau. Vienneau died January 12 – 2015 after being shot by a police officer during an operation in the parking lot of the Bathurst train station prompted by a Crime Stoppers tip about drugs.
The 5 member jury heard 21 witnesses during the inquest and made the following recommendations:
Always have a single person responsible for accessing Crime Stoppers information, including on weekends, so that intelligence is shared as quickly as possible.
Unmarked police cars should be inspected regularly, in the same manner as patrol cars, to ensure that all equipment is in working order.
Ensure that flashing lights on unmarked cars are standardized and clearly visible when activated.
At the time of intervention, police officers should wear outer clothing clearly identifying themselves as members of the police force.
A patrol car with a police officer in uniform should be part of the intervention.
The Chief Coroner will forward the recommendations to the agencies involved for consideration and response.
