Gun

WVP officer

suspended

THE GRANDMOTHER

of Danny Possee wants to
‘set the. record straight

about the consequences of

her complaint about a sus-
’ pended. West Vancouver
Police officer.

By Anna Marie D'Angelo
News Reporter

Susan Best said she was

_among:10 people in her West

Vancouver apartment build-
ing. who testified or made
statements that Const. Glen
Mason pulled out his sun on
Aug. 2, 1995 during a 1 Block
Watch meeting in the lobby.

_ “Sf Thad not been Danny’s -
_ grandmother, I. would of:
” feported it right away because

- that was the right thing to do,”
said Best.
>. “It took me five weeks to

‘ decide. (to: write a letter of
complaint) because I knew
inevitably I would be blamed”
~, because of. Danny,” said Best.

‘Mason: ‘denied: he © had
pulled’ out: his“ gun during: a:
: te. police . eee

“was also. ‘fouind

“guilty. ‘{nappropriately

_using his firearm and discred-
ible conduct

without pay.

lo appeal the private hearing
finding, said Best.

Best, 77, turns emotional
when she talks about her
grandson who was tragically
shot and killed by West
Vancouver Police officer Tim
Pollitt during a marijuana raid
in 1992,

She said Mason pulled out
his gun while discussing
crime statistics and possible

Mason bas’ unt mi. Age of

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laint a to

reasons why the crime rate is

down in West Vancouver.
Since her police complaint
beeame public, Best said that
five ipeople have made nega-
tive comments to her about it.
“1 made the complaint
basically because I knew the
officer should not have shown
the gun, also because it really
was so traumatic to me to be
so close to a gun after what

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had happened to my grandson
Danny,” said Best.

Best’s husband worked us
a police officer in England.

Best has been living in
West Vancouver for {3 years.

She is an active volunteer
in her community.

She said that after Mason
pulled out his gun within
about a metre of her, she
became il! in a panic attack

and had to leave.

Best said she is pleased
about the professional way
her complaint was handled by
the West Vancouver Police

“[ love West Vancouver, It
is a privilege to live here,”
said Best.

Under the Police Act, a
member of the public may
complain in writing about the
alleged conduct of a munici-

pal constable.The compiaint
is usually sent to the chief
constable of the police depart-
ment.

The complaint may be
informally resolved or an
investigation started. If the
complainant or the constable
involved is not satisfied with
the investigation results, -
either one can request a police
board public inquiry.

Easter shopping hours April 5th to

‘April 8th, 1996: Lonsdale Quay Market:
wiil be open 9:30 a.m. to.6:30 p.m.
on Good Friday through

Easter. Monday. For
more information

‘call 985-6261.