New Westminster police are putting their snazzy new retro-styled cruisers through their paces. It’s seems like it’s been an unusually busy – and hazardous – week for local law enforcement officers. 

Last Sunday, cops were pepper-sprayed by two youthful ne’er-do-wells near 5th Ave. and 7th St.  The attack happened while arresting the pair, following a call about an attempted theft. One officer was temporarily blinded, but neither teen got away.

On Monday, suspects in a stolen car rammed two police vehicles after the cops trapped them in the McDonald’s drive-thru on McBride. Police fired on the car, and one of the five was injured in the shoulder. The driver ran off, but was later tracked down by a police dog.

After receiving a report of a stolen car, police located it near Eighth Avenue and McBride Boulevard around 1 a.m. When the white Acura entered the nearby McDonald’s restaurant drive-thru, New Westminster police boxed it in. The driver of the stolen vehicle then took “evasive action,” police said, ramming the two police vehicles. The damage was extensive enough that they could not be driven from the scene.

“Once the cars moved into position, one of the officers got out to speak to the driver. That’s when he started ramming the cars,” said Sgt. Gary Weishaar. “The officer had to jump out of the way.”

Source: Woman injured in police shooting | New Westminster Newsleader

Then on Friday, transit police had to Taser a fare-evader at Braid SkyTrain – and one officer fell down an escalator in the scuffle. The unfortunate officer was hospitalized with serious head wounds, as well as injuries to his knees and hands. 

When the officers asked the man to show his fare, he ignored them and fled, Seaman said.

One of the officers tried to stop the man, and a confrontation between an officer and the man ensued.

When the man began to run down an up-escalator, “the physical altercation quickly escalated,” according to the police report.

During the confrontation, an officer fell down the escalator, hitting his head and knees on the sharp edges of the metal steps. Other officers twice Tasered the man, bringing him under control. At that time, a steak knife fell out of the man’s pocket, Seaman said.

Source: Officer wounded, suspect Tasered in SkyTrain fight | Vancouver Sun

Is it just me, or does it seem like there have been more violent incidents being reported lately, not just in New West, but around the Lower Mainland? 

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