The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) has cleared three officers from Swan River after an incident involving an injury to a male who they arrested in Dec 2015.

RCMP attended the residence of a male who had phoned the Brandon Centre for Adult Psychiatry and threatened violence against others. The officers attempted to make an arrest under The Mental Health Act but the individual refused to go with officers for a mental health assessment.

While police struggled to handcuff the man, he attempted to grab one of the officer’s service firearm.  Force was used to restrain and control the man and eventually he was subdued and taken to the Swan River detachment, where he complained of feeling unwell. He was taken to the local hospital and diagnosed with an intra abdominal bleed from blunt trauma, bruising to his right eye and some abrasions. He was then transferred by ambulance to Dauphin Hospital and diagnosed with a liver laceration injury.

As this incident involved a serious injury to an individual, the IIU assumed responsibility for the investigation.

IIU Civilian Director Zane Tessler determined the arresting officers had sufficient grounds to make an arrest under The Mental Health Act and that the force they employed was necessary to minimize harm to the individual and themselves while carrying out the arrest. He concluded there are no grounds to justify any charges against any of the officers.

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