Investigation clears Mountie after suspect’s arm broken

An ASIRT investigation has cleared an Okotoks RCMP officer over a 2016 Valentine’s Day arrest that broke the arm of a suspected impaired female driver.

In a news release Wednesday, the police watchdog said the male officer twice used reasonable force while arresting the 45-year-old suspect after responding to a call of a driver swerving dangerously on the road and drinking from a liquor bottle.

The woman resisted arrest, leading the officer to use a “straight arm bar” technique to take her to the ground and place her in handcuffs, according to ASIRT.

At the detachment and with handcuffs removed, the woman is seen on video taking personal belongings seized during her booking. The officer recovered the items, prompting the woman to strike the officer’s chest, ASIRT said.

“This led to the officer once again taking the woman to the ground — this time with the assistance of another peace officer,” the release states.

The woman was placed back in handcuffs before Emergency Medical Services was called to treat a cut to the woman’s nose. Two breath samples later produced blood-alcohol concentration readings of .14 and .12, both above the .08 legal limit for driving.

Following her release the next day, the woman went to a hospital where it was determined she had a fracture in her left arm near the shoulder.

ASIRT said the officer’s use of force was necessary.

“As described by multiple witnesses, the woman was intoxicated, argumentative, angry and belligerent,” ASIRT said. “In both cases, the force was brief, minimal, without resort to a weapon, and was used for the purpose of gaining control of the woman, who was physically and verbally uncooperative with police.”