A Kelowna RCMP officer is facing an internal review regarding his actions in the arrest of an uncooperative man.
On the evening of May 30, 2020, Kelowna RCMP responded to a report of an alleged impaired driver behind the wheel of a vehicle in a parking lot in the 200-block of Bernard Avenue in Kelowna.
Kelowna RCMP attended the area and found 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,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, media relations officer, Kelowna RCMP.
“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 the hospital for treatment of minor injuries.”
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“I can confirm that this matter has been brought to our attention. A thorough internal review of this officer’s actions is currently underway,” said supt. Brent Mundle, officer-in-charge of the Kelowna RCMP.
“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.”
The criminal investigation remains ongoing at this time. The findings will be forwarded to the BC Prosecution Service for review and charge consideration.
No further information is being released by the RCMP at this time.
Anyone with any information about this crime can contact the Kelowna RCMP at
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