[teergoBissono]

'We don't like brown people'

The Canadian Press
January 23, 2009

VANCOUVER — A B.C. delivery man allegedly assaulted by three off-duty police officers this week on Friday claimed his assailants made racial comments and threatened to use a Taser on him.

"They told me that we don't like brown people. And I told them I am sorry," Firoz Khan told reporters Friday in front of his Surrey home. "That was the day I was delivering, when President Obama was elected as the U.S. president."

Early Wednesday morning, Vancouver police arrested off-duty police officers from the Delta, New Westminster and West Vancouver forces on suspicion of assault and robbery outside the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Khan said that as he approached the doors of the hotel, a man standing outside called him.

"He said, 'Come here, you f—ing idiot, get the f— out here,'" Khan said.

The man then asked him for directions.

"I told him, 'Take it easy, let me make this delivery, and I'll tell you how to go.'"

The man persisted, he said. "He said, 'Come here f—ing now.'"

Khan said the man grabbed his jacket, pulled him to the sidewalk, and began to attack him.

About five to seven minutes later, he was joined by two others.

"To my knowledge, I have been beaten, first by one person, and then later by another two," said Khan, 47, who works for Dolphin Delivery. "In total they were three. They kicked me in my head, kicked my back, legs, everywhere."

Khan, who had a white bandage on his head, said he was robbed of $200 in the incident and he was further threatened when he asked for help.

"They told me, 'We are the police, you don't need help. If you don't behave, if you don't do anything, we have a Taser,'" Khan said. "I told them that I am half-dead anyways, after you guys beat me up so badly, so you might as well use the Taser and then kill me so that's the end of the story."

City workers, cab drivers and McDonald's employees saw him on the ground and rushed to help, he recalled.

"I was arrested, I was handcuffed by the police, and then a cab driver told police: 'He is not a suspect. He is a driver, getting beaten.'"

He claimed he could smell alcohol on their breath.

"All three of them were drunk.

"I feel very traumatized. I feel very afraid now."

B.C.'s Attorney General Wally Oppal on Friday asked the public to "keep an open mind."

"Let's wait for all the facts to come out," he told CBC.

Also on Friday, Delta police announced that their officer being investigated in the incident is being reassigned to administrative duties. They did not release the officer's name.

On Thursday, New Westminster Police announced they have suspended their officer with pay. He has been identified as 38-year-old Const. Jeffrey Klassen, and has been with the force for four years.

West Vancouver police said they reassigned their officer to desk duties. That officer has been with force for 18 months.

Sheri Klassen, Klassen's ex-wife, said the three are close friends who graduated together from the Justice Institute of B.C. They were together Tuesday night having a reunion in the downtown entertainment district, she said.

Khan is expected to be off work for some time, Dave Breen of Dolphin Delivery said Friday.

"I talked to him today and to be honest with you, he doesn't sound that good, as far as mentally," Breen said. "I think he's just still shaken up by the whole thing. So I really don't expect him to be back any time soon."

Breen said Khan has a "spotless record" after more than a decade working for the company.

"We've had a couple things happen around here where somebody's member of the family has been sick, and he's always the person that steps up with some money, pitching in money for somebody," Breen said.

"He's a good guy. Never had any problems with him."