Winnipeg Police officers will not face any charges stemming from an allegation of excessive force during the arrest of a 19-year-old female.
In January 2020 Winnipeg Police Service officers responded to a call in the 2600 block of Pembina Highway for the report of a female in distress.
When officers arrived they noticed the female appeared to be intoxicated. While being taken into custody the woman resisted. Once she was placed in handcuffs she told police her left arm was sore. Officers took the female to Victoria General Hospital where she was treated for fractures to her last arm.
Due to the nature of the injuries, the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) was mandated to investigate the incident.
Upon completion of their investigation the IIU sent the file to Manitoba Prosecution Services (MPS) for an opinion. In a written response the MPS said:
“Manitoba Prosecution Service (MPS) has reviewed the IIU investigation of [SO]. While it is always in the public interest to hold police officers accountable, there must also be a reasonable likelihood of conviction for MPS to prosecute a matter. In this case, after considering all of the admissible evidence, we have concluded that a reasonable doubt exists as to whether the officer’s use of force was excessive. Consequently, we are not satisfied that there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction. When MPS is consulted for charge authorization in any criminal matter, we employ the same standard for proceeding with criminal charges.“
No charges have been laid and the investigation is now complete.
© News4.ca 2020
