The brain trust down at city law enforcement were inspired to develop the padded nylon straps by the case of 87 year-old first-time criminal, Arthur Pegler, nabbed red-handed in a blatant contravention of the province's Motor Vehicle Act.

 

 

Arthur Pegler was arrested, shackled so tightly his skin was broken, and the tendons of his wrist damaged. A local, bi-weekly newspaper displayed photographs of the aftermath of the arrest, his bloody hands eliciting public outrage. Despite at least one citizen complaint of police abuse filed by an eye-witness, Pegler did not pursue the case, police charges against him were dropped, and police reprimands against the officer deemed unnecessary. The coordinated traffic patrols continue unabated, though there is now the promise that the new handcuffs will be field-tested soon.

Though Arthur Pegler will live out the rest of his days pained for his run-in with the RCMP, at least he survived. Ian Bush was not so lucky.

 

Bush was standing about outside the Houston, B.C. hockey arena in this small town. Though technically illegal - public consumption of alcohol outside designated areas - it's a common practice for locals to sneak a few beers into weekend games, and to drink them outside with a smoke between periods. In this case, Bush was actually not drinking the beer, but holding it for a friend who was larking about.

Spirits were high, and the young Bush and his friends were laughing and joking around when the RCMP approached them. The new cop in town, a young officer, anxious perhaps to make a name for himself in his new detachment, demanded names and id's be shown. Ian Bush gave a phony name in jest, the group still not taking the rookie seriously. Constable Paul Koester didn't think Bush funny, and arrested him for "obstruction of justice" for the phony name.

 

An incredulous Bush was cuffed and put in the squad car, while he mugged for his friends. He'd be dead in less than half an hour, shot in the back of the head while in custody, with the only witness, Constable Paul Koester, claiming self-defense.

The RCMP is not unique in Canada insomuch as they are not subject necessarily to outside scrutiny. In this case, Bush was deemed by RCMP internal investigators to be the aggressor, who they say, attempted to choke the constable. Koester claimed Bush got the drop on him, grabbed him from behind and was choking him, when he managed to take his weapon out, reach behind Bush's head and fire.

 

That's the official story; the story being told the coroner's inquest into the death in custody. It's one that never washed with Ian Bush's parents, and friends, who say Ian was just not the kind of guy to behave as Koester testified. Speaking of her son, Linda Bush says;

"He was such an easy child. He was so easy to get along with. He was just one of those kids that people loved the moment they met him. He was the perfect son."

 

And, hers is a doubt widely shared in the small town, where vigils in front of the RCMP detachment occur nightly, as they have since the event became publicly known in the fall of 2005; the shrine of flowers and cards left in remembrance at one point growing annoying enough for the RCMP officers still on duty there to destroy it. When the vandalism was discovered, it stoked further acrimony between the detachment and the people they are sworn 'to serve and protect.' The shrine reappeared, bigger than before.

 

As of writing, Joe Slemko, a "blood-spatter" expert, retained at Linda Bush's expense, has testified: photographs of the scene of Ian's death, his body position, blood-staining patterns, (and the other gruesome minutae necessary for his testimony to be deemed expert in this sort of case), did not jibe with the official version of the events surrounding the night Ian was killed.

 

Outside the inquest, an RCMP spokesperson reiterated Mountie support for Constable Koester, refusing charges will be brought, and discounting Slemko's testimony, as the RCMP counsel questioned his credibility.

 

Slemko told the inquest;