I attended the Shoppers drug mart at393 Portage Place Winnipeg Manitoba on April 19 2012 and purchased a package of sudafed. When I left the store at approx 1:55pm which is the time on my receiptand walking through the mall to leave a security person grabbed me from behindand accused me of shoplifting and began forcing me back to the store. I asked him to let go of me and reluctantly he did while threatening me not to run. When I got back to the store another huge imposing man approached me and saidthey were going to search me. I was feeling humiliated as I was already grabbedin the mall in front of others and now I was being searched at a cash registerin front of everybody and also right in front of the huge glass window into themall. I requested to be taken somewhere private and was refused. Aftersearching me it was determined that the item I had purchased still had thedevice (?) or whatever on it that set off the alarm.
I already suffer from Post TraumaticStress Disorder (PTSD) and spend the majority of my time locked in a room. How am I supposed to heal and feel safe in the community when I can't even attend one of your stores without being physically accosted by your security staff and due to the negligence or poor staff performance of the cashiers needlessly publicly humiliated by your security staff.
I was also accused of "walking fast" after leaving the store. I am also diagnosed with Attention DeficitHyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) personally falling (predominantly) into the"Hyperactivity" sub category of ADHD.I walk fast everywhere I go including into and around the store. Is it the policy of Shoppers Drug Mart or security officers to single out or profile persons who walk fast and accuse them of shoplifting and then take to publicly humiliating them? "
I didn’t want to empty out my pockets at all never mind in front of all those people, but I had already beenphysically grabbed and was then being intimidated so fearing for my safety Icomplied. I did not know what those guards were capable of. It was alreadyclear to me they were willing to assault me. They presented as though there wasnever any doubt to them that I had stolen something and therefore it didn’tmatter what they did to me because they had “caught” me and all focus would beon me “the Thief”.
I “get it”. The alarm went off. That’sno reason to physically assault/accost me from behind, accuse me of stealing, and intimidate and humiliate me in front of the public. What about my dignity and living with a disorder such as Hyperactivity? I get accused of trying to flee with stolen property due to a symptom of my hyperactivity eg: “walkingfast”. A further impingement on the rights of the “Disabled” is the disposition of this security guard(?)( Shoppers Drug Mart Staff member(?)) which implies it’s okay to physically assault/accost a deaf person from behind for not heeding his (the security staff member’s) verbal commands.
That happened on Thursday and I did not sleep at all. Friday night I couldn't sleep and finally fell asleep for a couple of hours sometime after 3am. All day Saturday and even worse today I've been jumpy, nervous, I had to go out and had to get someone to drive me and go with me. I'm supposed to begetting better not worse. The store manager contacted me by phone on Friday and all he did was further upset me. I want to press assault charges against tha tguard(?) for grabbing me from behind like that, but I'm afraid of the police and experience distress when I see them because of the uniform or authority.
It is unfortunate these incidents are happening on your watch. I am hopeful that my willingness to stand up to bullies and those who demonstrate such clear insensitivities to the rights of Canadians and in particular those living with varying degrees of mental and or physical disabilities will be helpful to your Office. That is, the Office that both grants and revokes the licenses of Private Investigators and Security Guards in Manitoba.
Thank you for your attention to what, for me, has been both a devastating incident and significant set back to my recovery.
Respectfully submitted,
B.R.
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