Hearing into Matthew Green carding complaint

A Hamilton police constable who witnessed his fellow officer stop a black city councillor says it wasn’t racially motivated. Constable Derrick Thompson was the last witness to testify at the police services hearing for Constable Andrew Pfeifera who is accused of making an improper street check.

Thompson, like his partner, said they stopped to check on councillor Matthew Green’s well being. Thompson testified he had “never seen anyone standing there, tucked behind a wall in a muddy area” and it “looked weird to him” and he wondered if he was ok. Saying that Green seemed angry and aggressive during the encounter with Pfeifer.

Green testified this week that he was “humiliated” and felt “psychologically detained”. His lawyer has called on the hearing officer to not only find it an arbitrary stop but a case of racial profiling. Thompson says that’s not what happened that day.

Throughout the 4 day hearing Constable Pfiefers version of events conflicted with councillor Greens. Testimony was often heated with each side accusing the other of being aggressive. After the hearing, Green said he was satisfied with the evidence put forward.

Pfeifer’s lawyer declined to comment as did the police prosecutor. Closing statements will be made November 16th.