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Three girls arrested after skinny dipping
VANCOUVER -- A midnight skinny dip last week turned into a "humiliating" visit to jail for two B.C. sisters who claim they were arrested and hauled half-naked to Delta police cells.
By The Leader-Post (Regina) July 26, 2007 Be the first to post a comment
VANCOUVER -- A midnight skinny dip last week turned into a "humiliating" visit to jail for two B.C. sisters who claim they were arrested and hauled half-naked to Delta police cells.
The Boundary Bay sisters, aged 17 and 18, have registered a complaint against the Delta police, claiming they were wrongfully arrested after their dip on July 16.
The sisters, along with another 18-year-old girl, were stopped at about 1 a.m. by a female officer investigating a noise complaint at a nearby elementary school.
The police say they found the girls intoxicated and unclothed and that the older sister had nearly hit the police cruiser when she reversed her car and tried to flee, said Const. Paul Eisenzimer.
She then fled on foot down the beach while the other two girls screamed and swore at the officer, he said.
The two girls were handcuffed and taken to police headquarters in Ladner, while the one who ran was apprehended by a backup officer and taken in a separate police car. They were kept in the police cells to sober up, Eisenzimer said.
The girls deny they were drinking or causing a ruckus at the school. They also argue they were not allowed to get their clothes from the car or given anything to wear at the police station, where they were held for nine hours.
The older sister was wearing only a bikini; the younger had managed to pull on a tank top and the other girl a sweatshirt but neither had clothes to cover their bottoms.
"The officer was patrolling and she found us instead," said the older sister. "We spent the night in a jail cell almost naked. It was totally humiliating."
She was given a 24-hour driving suspension and is facing charges of impaired driving and escaping lawful custody. She said she also had to pay $200 to get her car back after it was towed.
The younger sister was running home to tell their parents what was happening when she was tackled by a backup police officer.
"Basically it's not safe for kids to be out on the street after dark," she said. "They just assume you're doing something wrong."
She claims she suffered bruises at the hands of the police and that she and her friend were photographed half-clothed by three male police officers at the station before they were taken to the cells. They weren't even given a blanket to cover themselves up, she added.
"It wasn't that much fun," she said. "They took our pictures and then took us through to the jail cells. The inmates were screaming at us as went because we were naked."
Eisenzimer refused to discuss the case as it's being investigated by professional standards member acting Staff-Sgt. Ian MacWilliams.
He said the investigation will likely be "fairly high" on MacWilliams' list, and would likely take a week or two to complete.
The Delta police station and cell blocks are monitored by video cameras, and the footage will be used in the investigation.
He added most people brought into the station are not photographed or finger-printed unless they are accused of a criminal offence.
Bruce Brown, deputy B.C. police commissioner, said the video surveillance should help clear up what happened.
He said as the girls have only registered a complaint against the police at this point, an internal investigation has been initiated by the department. If they decide to take it a step further and lodge a formal complaint under the Police Act, the investigation would go to the B.C. Police Commissioner to determine if it should be investigated as a public trust, service or policy issue.
Vancouver Sun
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