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No charges laid against N.S. RCMP after man claims he was injured during arrest: SiRT

The SiRT logo is seen in an undated file photo. The SiRT logo is seen in an undated file photo.
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Nova Scotia’s police watchdog has ruled that charges should not be laid against RCMP officers after a man claimed he was injured while being arrested.

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) says RCMP officers responded to a 911 call about a man threatening to harm himself on Aug. 6, 2021.

SiRT says the officers determined the man should be arrested under the Involuntary Psychiatric Treatment Act and taken to hospital.

However, when police tried to arrest the man, SiRT says he dropped to the floor and placed his arms underneath him and refused to show his hands so the officers could cuff him.

When the officers managed to access the man’s hands, they handcuffed him in front of his body instead of behind his back because they knew he had a previous shoulder injury, according to a news release from SiRT.

The man was taken to hospital and released after a mental and physical exam. SiRT says no physical injuries were noted while the man was in hospital.

Three days later, the man went to the RCMP detachment in Bible Hill, N.S., to complain that his hand had been injured during his arrest.

The RCMP referred the matter to SiRT that day.

Following an investigation, SiRT says it has determined police had the right to arrest the man and that their use of force was reasonable and justified.

“No excessive force was used and any injury to the man’s hand was unintentional and as a result of the struggle with police,” said SiRT in a news release.

“Therefore, no charges are warranted against the officers.”

SiRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia, whether or not there is an allegation of wrongdoing.

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