The BC Prosecution Service (BCPS) will not be proceeding with charges, despite direction from the province’s police watchdog, against two RCMP officers involved in a 2020 arrest near Sicamous.
In October of 2021, the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) announced it had filed a report to the BCPS for consideration of charges relating to the April 14, 2020 arrest.
On that day, RCMP responded to a report of a suspicious person on a forest service road off Highway 97A near Sicamous. Police believed the description of the person’s vehicle matched that of a man with several outstanding warrants, said the IIO.
When police located the man, he left in his vehicle before being stopped soon after. The IIO said the man got out of his vehicle and an interaction occurred which resulted in the man sustaining serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The man was transported to hospital for further treatment.
Chief Civilian Director Ronald J. MacDonald, QC, reviewed the evidence and “determined that reasonable grounds exist to believe that the arresting officers may have committed offences in relation to the use of force,” according to the 2021 information bulletin from the IIO. “As a result…, the IIO has forwarded a report to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.”
In a Thursday, Sept. 28, media release, the BCPS stated available evidence does not meet its charge assessment standard.
“The BCPS is not able to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that either officer committed any offence in relation to the incident. As a result, no charges have been approved,” reads the release.
Read more: Police watchdog recommends charges be considered in arrest near Sicamous that injured suspect
Read more: Investigations into police-involved injuries, deaths backlogging as incidents increase in B.C.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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