B.C. police watchdog opens four investigations

A B.C. police watchdog is investigating four separate cases since Sunday involving police and people who have died or suffered serious harm.

The first happened early Sunday in Nanaimo, where RCMP notified the Independent Investigations Office that a man died after interacting with officers who located an apparently impaired driver.

The officers determined the man should be transported to hospital, but before paramedics arrived he went into medical distress. He died later in hospital.

Sunday afternoon in Surrey, the Independent Investigations Office says the RCMP pulled over a vehicle that had been speeding and determined the driver appeared to have consumed alcohol.

The agency says the man refused a roadside screening test and officers detained him. He then appeared to lose consciousness and was taken to Surrey Memorial Hospital.

The third case involved a domestic disturbance in Surrey Monday morning. The watchdog says when RCMP arrived they attempted to detain a female but there was a struggle and she complained of an injured shoulder. She was taken to hospital where it was determined she had a fractured left shoulder.

On Wednesday, Delta police responded to a call about a man on a bridge. The agency says officers talked to the man, but he fell from the bridge and did not survive.

The Independent Investigations Office will determine whether there is any connection between the officers’ actions and the deaths or serious harm in each case.