(Image: Bathurst Police Force/Facebook)
A coroner’s inquest into the death of Michel Vienneau has made several recommendations including that police officers should wear clothing clearly identifying themselves.
The five-member jury heard from 21 witnesses during the inquest in Beresford which wrapped up this week.
The jury also recommended better monitoring for Crime Stoppers tips especially on weekends, unmarked police cars should be inspected regularly and their flashing lights should be clearly visible.
Finally, the jury said any intervention should have a uniformed police officer and a marked cruiser.
Vienneau, 51, was shot and killed by police outside the Bathurst VIA Rail station in January 2015.
Bathurst Police were acting on a Crime Stoppers tip Vienneau and his wife were smuggling drugs.
Manslaughter charges against the two officers involved were eventually dropped when a judge ruled the prosecution failed to make its case.
The chief coroner will forward the recommendations to the appropriate agency for consideration and response.
An inquest is a formal court proceeding that allows for the public presentation of all evidence relating to a death.
A jury can make recommendations aimed at preventing similar deaths in the future but an inquest does not make any finding of legal responsibility nor does it assign blame.
