A police watchdog is asking witnesses to come forward after a man who allegedly urinated on a BC RCMP detachment “sustained an injury” during his arrest.
The Independent Investigations Office said the incident occurred Saturday night in North Vancouver, where RCMP officers were called to help discharge a man from Lions Gate Hospital.
“Shortly thereafter, it was reported that the male was observed urinating at the North Vancouver RCMP detachment building located across the street,” the IIO said in a news release.
“The man was arrested and taken back to the nearby hospital where he was found to have suffered an injury.”
The IIO is tasked with investigating any officer-involved incident that results in death or serious harm, regardless of whether there is an allegation of wrongdoing against the police.
The watchdog said it was notified of Saturday’s incident shortly after it occurred and opened an investigation. One of the first steps of the investigation will be to determine whether the man’s injury meets the definition of serious harm used in the British Columbia Police Act.
Under the legislation, serious harm refers to injuries that “are likely to result in death,” “are likely to cause serious disfigurement,” or “are likely to cause substantial loss or impairment of the mobility of the body as a whole or the function of any limb.” or organ”. “
Investigators will also seek to determine whether the officer’s actions during the arrest were “necessary, reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances,” the IIO said.
The watchdog asked anyone who witnessed the arrest, or who has video of the encounter, to call 1-855-446-8477 or reach out online.