London police defend armed response to Boys & Girls Club as charity officials call for apology

London police have issued a response to a call from the Boys and Girls Club of London to apologize, after charity officials say armed officers stormed the downtown recreation centre without warning on Wednesday.

Police said they responded to the Horton Street facility around 1:20 p.m. following a report that someone at the club had a weapon, a police spokesperson told CBC News. 

One young person, a 16-year-old male who was taking an alternative education class, was taken into custody, but no weapon was found at the scene.

In a statement, police alleged the teen had threatened to shoot another youth earlier in the day in another part of the city.

Speaking with CBC News, Kirsten Krose, chair of the Boys and Girls Club of London, said the heavy police response was "an egregious misstep and a miscalculation, and I think it was handled absolutely inappropriately."

"At the very least, there should be a public apology from the police board and the school board for the lack of communication and how they conducted this investigation." 

'Overuse of force'

"There was a lack of communication that led to potential harm and trauma for youth that are in the building," Krose said. "They should have worked with us to create a solution that could have protected potential members from being exposed to any kind of trauma from seeing weapons and armed police storming a building without notice."

The Boys and Girls Club works hard to build trust between its members and police officers, she said. "What they did erodes some of that safety and confidence."

"This is a sensitive population, so something like this needed to be handled with greater care. This was an overuse of force." 

There were no young children in the building at the time, but seniors were taking part in a 50-plus social club that uses the space, said Boys and Girls Club CEO Brett Gatt. Students 14- to 21-years-old were also there, part of the Cornerstone alternative education program offered by the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB). 

The person taken into custody was attending the Cornerstone program, and the tip about a possible weapon came from the school board.

"Our staff responded professionally and quickly, and made sure that everyone was safe," Gatt said. 

Police respond

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, police justified the decision to enter the club as they did, and provided an update on their investigation.

Police said they had learned the suspect and another 16-year-old male had been involved in an argument, during which the suspect allegedly pointed a handgun and threatened to shoot the other teen.

Officers responded "quickly and accordingly in relation to reports of a serious threat involving a firearm," read the statement, attributed to Ryan Scrivens, a superintendent and head of the London Police Uniformed Division.

"Upon arrival, officers met with staff members to explain the reason for their attendance. An employee directed police to the area where the suspect male was located," the statement says, adding any report of a weapon is a serious public safety concern.

"We recognize the impact that an event such as this has on employees, students, and members of the community, but there are times during emergent situations, when we must prioritize our response to provide public safety, especially when it may involve our children and youth."

The 16-year-old accused faces a charge of pointing a firearm, two counts of uttering threats/property damage, and possession of a firearm or ammunition contrary to a prohibition order, police said. He was arrested without incident by officers within two minutes of their arrival, police said.

Scrivens said police value their relationship with the club, and would follow up with affected staff to offer support.

CBC News also sought comment from TVDSB about the incident.

"The Thames Valley District School Board remains committed to fostering safe learning and working environments for all," the board said in a statement.

"We are grateful for the ongoing support from London Police Service and their role in supporting the safety of our students and staff. As this matter is part of an ongoing police investigation, we defer to London Police Service for further information."