Thread by @MarkCherrington

1/MUCH TO UNPACK. PLEASE READ #yeg. Names changed to protect confidentiality. Yesterday, an elderly lady, Tania, met me at my office. Shaking and somewhat frail, asked if I could help her as she had nowhere to turn. As a social justice advocate, I'm here to help. #yegcc #abpoli

2/Tania managed a rooming house and recently, one late afternoon, when it was about -20c she and her partner, Frank, were babysitting a friend's dog and relaxing. All of a sudden they heard crashing and yelling. @edmontonpolice had entered the rooming house.

3/@edmontonpolice, armed, in black wearing full body armour, the police had blown open the back door with some sort of bean-bag gun as apprently their "tank" could not manouver to batter in the door.

4/ Police yelled for everybody to exit the building NOW NOW NOW! Tania and Frank, along with the dog(A pitbull),walked downstairs stunned & frightened as assault rifles pointed at their heads and body.

5/Police checked Frank and Tania's clothing etc. as well as 4 other residents. All were escorted to a van & checked for warrants(These are law abiding folks). Police were cold, authoritative & gave Frank a "rough time" for not carrying ID on him. ID was in their suite

6/Police then told the group to go away and come back later. Tania was wearing slippers, a summer coat, the others were only a little bit better dressed for the weather. #yegcc #Abpoli.

7/ Tania and the group told the @edmontonpolice they were loners, had no money & nowhere to go and they were cold. The officers responded in an even colder/authoratative tone "Not our problem".

8/Tania then pled to @edmontonpolice to let her get her shoes, a phone, and her medication, especialy her puffer given lung disease. The officer again, cold an apathetic stated, "Nobody is allowed in building." Tania asked, "can somebody get items?" Officer refused.

9/The house was surrounded by many many officers. Many officers looked at them as they walked by going inside and outside of dwelling. Not one officer asked about their wellbeing, nor any offered help/assistance.

10/One of the tenants, Mary, then asked officers if all of them and the dog could access her car to stay warm. Officers refused. Mary added they could move it off perimeter, and @Edmontonpolice need only move their TANK" that had blocked the car in. Officers refused.

11/ Freezing, no phones, the group of five & dog made their way to a friends apartment 7 blocks away. Not home, after 15 min, the group gained access into front lobby.

12/The group of tenants,all law abiding #yeg citizens had been outside 30 minutes and relieved to be Inside the lobby, however, they did not want to get into any more trouble with the police and left the lobby 15 minutes later when the dog's paws had warmed up.

12/ Outside once more they walked the streets, however, 30 minutes on, Frank, extremely worried about all, as all were underdressed, especially Tania, and that frostbite and exposure were now a real threat and that all of them were in imminent harm. As was the dog.

13/Frank seeing a stranger, approached and bartered HIS coat for shoes and socks for Tania.

14/ 2 1/2 hours on since the police forced them to leave their house, the group and dog returned to rooming house and waited on the sidewalk. 20 minutes later, Tania feeling distressed and having trouble breathing, knocked on the door of HER rooming house!

14/An Officer answered, Tania then asked for her meds, "I need my puffer, cannot breath." The officer refused and offered NO assistance. Tania starting to panic,asked another 2 times, officer refused. Tania then asked for medical assistance, Officer refused.

The dog, dancing on paws, and also in distressed was offered a police vehicle to rest in. But all of the other tenants were refused.

15/ Tania then asked a 2nd officer. This officer only asked her name, and upon checking a sheet, tersly stated “Go away, you don’t live here.”

16/ Not allowed inside her own room to keep warm. Refused medical assistance, Tania, distressed, now not able to walk, hyperventilating, no phone to call ambulance sat on the cement & kicked the rooming house door, screaming.. I need paramedic. I CANNOT BREATH! I CANNOT BREATH!

17/ A Sgt, who Tania hadn't seen before, came around the corner and seeing her, immediatly offered his car.

18/Tania had been outside in -20c for over 3hrs. Much of it wearing only slippers and summer jacket. And when she sat down and closed the squad car door, she started to relax and her breath came back as the heat ran over her frozen feet, hands/arms.

19/Sgt, now alarmed about the others, pulled the squad car out to look around. Luckily the Sgt saw Frank and others. As withi Tania, he offered his car to the 4 others.

20/ Sometime later, the group of innocent tenants were allowed back into the rooming house. Police had tossed all the rooms, finding nothing in tania's room or the others in the group. Police did find handguns in rooms they did not know who lived there.

21/The Sgt pleaded with Tania and the others to move out given the danger. Tania replied to the sgt, given the pittance of funds they recieved from government, this was all they could afford.

21/Tania stated this one SGT out of this huge @edmontonpolice presence was the only officer to lend any hand, to show any empathy, to provide access to basic needs. In her mind the only one there to protect her. #yegcc #Abpoli

As a matter of practice, I, with Tania's permission, recorded her conversation. What she stated shocked me. I have no doubt in her sincerity, and I absolutely believe her.

Tania and I are meeting next week, and will be filing a formal complaint with @edmontonpolice Chief of Police. As well, I will be consulting with my Board @coalition4jhr about making a complaint with the Alberta Human Rights And Citizenship Commision. #yegcc #apolitical

Seems like the one officer, the SGT, amoungst a dozen or so other officers, was an anomaly. The many other officers by their complete lack of action, show me a culture @edmontonpolice which is not in line with the community it serves. IMPO.