Security owner comes to employee’s defense after confrontation on West Victoria Street

KAMLOOPS — The owner of Lapper Security says his guard involved in an incident last Thursday, where he’s seen on video kicking another person, was pushed to his breaking point after being spat at, sweared at, and pushed.

“Down here, we’re assaulted and verbally abused and threatened daily, and I think it just got the best of him that day and the camera just happened to catch the tail end of the situation,” said owner Ed Lapierre.

Lapierre is not condoning his actions after a video of the incident was shared with and released by CFJC Today on Tuesday (Mar. 23), but he adds patrolling West Victoria Street and dealing with the marginalized is a difficult job — with his security people taking abuse.

“It is tough for one guard to be walking back and forth with the name-calling and the verbal abuse and stuff like that, but we’re getting by. Ninety-eight per cent of the job down here is good. It’s two per cent that we’re having difficulty with,” Lapierre said.

At around 5:15 p.m. last Thursday (Mar. 17), Kamloops RCMP were called to the area by the employee from Lapper Security who reported problems with the other person.

“That initial report involved a security guard who had been spat at and pushed by a patron or by somebody in the area,” said Cst. Crystal Evelyn from Kamloops RCMP. “So police attended. They went and they spoke with the person who made the report. They did some patrols in the area.”

Police do have the video that was sent to CFJC Today. They also have surveillance video from the storage facility on West Victoria Street.

“The investigation involves looking at footage that’s available, speaking to those that have now been identified in that footage — witnesses as well as the other people that were involved in the incident, getting their side of the story,” noted Evelyn.

Lapierre says people can judge all they want, but he says his guard has received death threats following the video and has asked to move locations.

As far as any disciplinary action, Lapierre is awaiting the conclusion of the police investigation.

“Pending the outcome, I’m not sure,” he noted. “Do I reprimand him for doing this or do I give him a raise for all the good that he’s done?”

UPDATE: B.C. Housing, who funds the CMHA and City of Kamloops contracts with Lapper Security, emailed CFJC Today a statement late in the day, saying it is aware of the incident.

“B.C. Housing and CMHA will take any steps necessary to ensure that all community members are safe and offered support as necessary as they investigate the incident in this disturbing video.”