IIO completes investigation into Kitimat RCMP incident of early January

The Independent Investigations Office which investigates incidents involving members of  law enforcement in the province, has wrapped up their review of an incident from earlier this month.

The case file one which was related to a call for service for members of the Kitimat detachment of the RCMP with the findings by investigators determining that police actions did not bear responsibility for a serious injury that was suffered by a male as a result of the interaction.

The IIO report which was released on Friday,  notes of the background to the situation the led to the required investigation.

Shortly after 5:00 a.m. on January 13, 2023, police were called to an alleged break and enter at a business in the 200-block of City Centre. Officers called out to a man nearby who was believed to have been involved, and the man attempted to leave the area. 

The man later confirmed to IIO Investigators that when he attempted to leave using an icy path, the slippery conditions caused him to fall. The man sustained a serious injury in the fall and was transported to the hospital for treatment.

The report concludes with a statement from the Chief Civilian Director which determine that the police actions were not responsible towards the injuries.

The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence – including a statement from the affected person, medical information, scene photos, and police records – and determined that police actions were not responsible for the man’s injury. 

Although it was the officer’s initial call to the man that caused him to attempt to leave quickly, the officers were roughly 50 metres away when the fall occurred, and the officer’s actions in asking the man to stop for police were justified.

The full overview of the file is available here.

The investigation by the IIO was the first required in the Northwest for 2023.

More notes on the work of Emergency Responders in the region can be explored through our archive page.