A police watchdog investigation into an injury a Shamattawa man suffered during a Dec. 23 arrest has been discontinued.
The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba, which looks into serious incidents involving on- or off-duty police officers throughout the province, says a review of the man’s medical records shows that he did not suffer an injury classified as serious under IIU regulations. Those regulations define serious injuries as fractures of various bones, burns, cuts or internal injuries that require admission to hospital, the loss of a body part or of vision or hearing, and any injury caused by a gun being discharged.
“Following a review of the nature and circumstances of the arrest, the civilian director has determined that he is unable to conclude that the public interest would demand an independent investigation be conducted by the IIU or that there is a need or purpose for the IIU to monitor any police service investigation,” said a Feb. 28 news release. “Accordingly, the original investigation has been discontinued and the matter is now closed.”
The IIU was notified of the incident on Dec. 24. The notification said RCMP were responding to a call on Riverside Road in Shamattawa when they observed a man running away. As he was fleeing, he slipped and was taken to the ground by one of the officers. The man told police he was injured and was taken to the nursing station where he was diagnosed with a dislocated hip and then transported to Thompson General Hospital for treatment.
Based on the original notification, the IIU determined that the man had suffered a serious injury and assumed responsibility for a mandatory investigation. When the man consented to IIU investigators reviewing his medical records and reports, that determination was changed.
