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No charges against RCMP officer involved in 2015 arrest that injured man

A Prince George RCMP officer has been cleared of wrongdoing following a September 8, 2015 arrest.

The BC Prosecution Service announced today that it will not be approving charges against the officer.

On September 8, 2015, the Prince George RCMP were conducting covert surveillance on a stolen Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by the suspect, according to the clear statement issued by the prosecution service. When the police attempted to stop the F-250, the suspect reportedly tried to flee in the vehicle but was unsuccessful. The suspect and the two other vehicle occupants attempted to flee the scene on foot.

The officer, along with his police service dog, pursued the suspect through a rural property. As the suspect neared a highway bordering the property, the subject officer released the dog, which bit and took hold of the suspect’s leg to prevent him from escaping.

According to the officer, the suspect continued to resist by fighting the dog. The subject officer reported that he delivered one punch and two elbow strikes to the suspect’s face to subdue him and gain compliance with arrest directions. The suspect denies being punched or elbowed and alleges that the subject officer kicked him in the face four to six times.

The suspect sustained serious facial injuries, including facial fractures and a displaced jaw which required surgery to repair. The suspect’s treating physicians advised the IIO that the suspect’s injuries could have been caused either by stunning strikes (hand or elbow) or by kicks. No police or civilian witnesses observed the incident. As a result of the injury to the suspect, the Independent Investigations Office conducted an investigation and subsequently submitted a report to the prosecution service.

“Following a thorough review of the available evidence, the BC Prosecution Service has concluded that the evidence does not support approving any charges against the subject officer,” says a statement issued by the service.

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