The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) recently investigated an injury suffered by a 32-year-old man while he was RCMP police custody.

On March 13th, 2017, the Red Deer RCMP responded to a dispute between two roommates.

Two RCMP officers responded and determined that one of the suspects, a 32-year-old male who was confined to a wheelchair, was wanted on a outstanding warrant out of Calgary.

The terms of the warrant prevented the Red Deer RCMP from releasing him and the suspect was transported to the detachment in order to appear before a Justice of the Peace.

The suspect instructed officers on how to disassemble his wheelchair after he was assisted into the rear seat of the police vehicle. The wheelchair was load into a second police vehicle.

Both the man and the wheelchair were taken into the police detachment and the man stayed at the attachment overnight. The man departed the detachment by taxi the next morning after being released on bail.

Later that day, the man knotted bruising on his right leg and went to the Red Deer Regional hospital where it was determined he had a fractured femur bone.

ASIRT’s investigation determined the RCMP members acted lawfully when arresting the suspect on warrant and that the officers were required by the warrant to transport him prior to release.

ASIRT determined that no forced was used by any police officer during the course of the man’s arrest and no criminal negligent conduct was used that may have caused the mans leg injury.

It is unclear how the man sustained the injury, however, the ASIRT investigation determined the Red Deer RCMP acted lawfully and no criminal charges will stem from this incident.

ASIRT’s mandate is to effectively, independently and objectively investigate incidents involving Alberta’s police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct.

-Submitted by ASIRT