The independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU), the provincial police watchdog agency, has concluded an investigation into a complaint against two Winnipeg Police Service officers. In October of 2016, a male complained that he had been robbed and assaulted by the officers while in custody.
ORIGINAL STORY | IIU | WINNIPEG POLICE UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR INCIDENTS INVOLVING ARRESTS
On October 4, 2016, the man had been arrested on multiple charges. Two weeks later he lodged a complaint with the Winnipeg Police Service stating that while he was in custody an officer bent his hand behind his back which caused it to break. The man stated that the break required surgery to repair. The man also said that officers had stolen money from his apartment.
The IIU took over the investigation because of the nature of the complaint, specifically because a serious injury had occurred.
The investigators spoke to a number of police and civilian witnesses including the surgeon who repaired the man’s injury as well as a woman who told them that she had seen the man punch a wall with a closed fist hurting his hand shortly before police interacted with the man.
IIU Civilian Director Zane Tessler, in his report, stated the man’s intoxicated state called into question his recollections of the incident. Tessler explained in the report that he was not satisfied that “reasonable and probable” grounds exist to justify any charges against the accused officers.
-News 4-
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