RCMP review officer’s actions after arrest
The officer in charge of Kelowna RCMP says an internal review is underway into the actions of one officer during an arrest of an alleged impaired driver over the weekend.
“On May 30, just after 6:30 p.m., Kelowna RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle with an alleged impaired driver in a parking lot in the 200-block of Bernard Avenue in Kelowna,” said medial relations officer Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy. “Front line officers attended the area and located a 30-year-old Kelowna man, intoxicated and inside the vehicle. The man was uncooperative with police and was arrested for allegedly obstructing a police officer.”
“During the arrest, the man actively resisted and allegedly turned assaultive toward the RCMP officers by pulling away, raising clenched fists, and refusing to cooperate with commands that were given to him,” added Noseworthy. “Officers then requested immediate backup and a third member responded to their request. The suspect was taken into custody after a brief struggle. He was medically assessed by BC Emergency Health Services and later transported to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.”
Supt. Brent Mundle, the officer in charge of the detachment, says the incident has been brought to their attention, with suggestions the of inappropriate action by one officer.
“A thorough internal review of this officer’s actions is currently underway,” stated Mundle. “A 12 second video currently being circulated on social media sites only illustrates one short moment during the incident. It does not include what precipitated the situation where the officer felt the physical force seen in the video was necessary. Our officers are trained to conduct a continual risk assessment of the situation, often these decisions are required in a split second.”
Mundle said the “substantive criminal investigation” is ongoing, and the findings will be forwarded to the BC Prosecution Service for review and charge consideration.
No further information is being released at this time.
Anyone with any information on the incident can contact the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300. Or remain completely anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or by leaving a tip online at www.crimestoppers.net