Myles Gray death shows police need regional training centres on use of force: expert

VANCOUVER – An expert on police use of force is recommending regional training centres for departments in light of the violent encounter between Vancouver officers and Myles Gray that ended in his death in 2015.

Former officer Michael Massine, testifying at a public hearing into Gray’s death, says police departments should have full-time training units regionalized under the same structure so everyone is “on the same page.”

Gray died after suffering injuries including a fractured eye socket, a crushed voice box and ruptured testicles at the hands of the VPD officers who were all cleared of misconduct in 2024 by a police discipline authority.

Massine told the hearing held by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner on Wednesday that the officers missed opportunities to de-escalate the situation and showed a complete lack of awareness about the fatal impact of their actions.

During testimony on Thursday, he told Chris Considine, counsel for the commissioner,  that regional training centres would be an “expensive venture” but they could help avoid silos in training.

Massine agreed with Considine that in the absence of members of the public who could have been at risk, that “the prime approach of the officers should have been to preserve and protect” Gray’s life during a situation of “mental health distress.”

Police had originally been called to respond to a complaint about a man who sprayed a woman with water from her garden hose.

Gray was described by police at a previous coroner’s inquest as “animalistic” and displaying “superhuman” strength as he fought their attempt to restrain him.

None of the seven officers whose actions are under examination has testified at the inquiry and it is not known if they will.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2026.