The RCMP has issued a formal apology to a B.C. First Nations community for an incident this week that saw an officer pepper-spray several residents, including children and infants.

'I think it's a whole generalization of the thing and it's not getting to the real issue,' Shannon Phillips said of the RCMP apology.
(CBC)

The tense confrontation occurred Monday night in Sechelt, about 45 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, as a group of residents held a parade of vehicles to celebrate two community youth teams' wins in a Vancouver soccer tournament.

Officers and residents struggled after the driver of a pickup truck with several children in the back refused to stop for police.

In a letter to the community, the Sunshine detachment said police had no intention of directly spraying children while trying to control adults as they were making an arrest.

Sechelt Chief Stan Dixon said he is satisfied with the apology, but those who were involved said it doesn't go far enough.

"I think it's a whole generalization of the thing and it's not getting to the real issue," said Shannon Phillips, whose husband, Troy Mayers, was driving the pickup truck. In the back were two of her stepsons holding trophies.

Mayers was taken away in handcuffs. 

The parents have said it is a community tradition to celebrate with a grand entrance to the community, including honking horns.

But police have said the officers were forced to use pepper spray when angry people got too close, adding that a home video shot by the band's own members proves that.

Use of pepper spray 'pathetic': expert

Peter Montague, a retired police officer with 31 years experience, told CBC News it is easy to see how the police officer decided the use of pepper spray was necessary.

"When you're into a confrontation like that, it's pretty difficult to control everything that's happening, and particularly when you have your thumb on a canister," Montague said.

But not all law enforcement officials agree with Montague's assessment.

Alan Chad, an expert in combat and tactics who teaches police SWAT teams and military forces around the world, said the police officer was wrong to use the spray.

He said the officers on the scene should have gauged that a crowd full of children celebrating was not the type to start a riot. 

"Let's remember this is a community where there's family involved," Chad told CBC News. "This is not a situation with a mentality of a riot, so it's still an inappropriate use of force. 

" 'Pathetic' is the word I'm using."

Chad said talking and negotiating would have been a better way to defuse the situation.

The Union of BC Indian Chiefs have called for an independent investigation of the incident.