/PG/ New Westminster, British Colombia [Canada] (Signal High) for BadCop.Online —– A Metropolitan Vancouver transit cop who brutally beat a University of British Colombia student more than a decade ago (August 2011) was handed a two day suspension in June, but the decision remained secret until just recently.
Edgardo Diaz Rodriguez tackled, punched and beat the unnamed student to within an inch of his life, striking him in the head, neck and back more than ten times with his baton, all within the first ten seconds of the attack. Rodriguez accused the student of fare evasion. He (Rodriguez) was suspended in October 2013, criminally charged in 2015 and, in 2016, convicted of assault causing bodily harm. He was sentenced to twelve months probation.
Running in parallel, Rodriguez was tried for abuse of authority and recklessly using unnecessary force under police discipline laws. It is not abnormal for police to face both criminal and internal police charges when they transgress but, in this case, the matter took just shy of twelve years to make its way through the system. The whole time, Rodriguez was either on paid vacation or administrative assignment (not performing police duties). Rodriguez was handed a two-day suspension, without pay – a decision that infuriated many as public consultation resulted in an overwhelming demand for his termination.
Rodriguez returned to operational duties with Transit Police in October 2019, criminal history and disciplinary record in tow.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth took advantage of the situation to make a political statement calling for reforms to police governance and oversight – something he and his government have full control over, and absolute authority to implement. There is normally a six-month time limit for investigations to be completed. This one took slightly less than twelve years.
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