Police face no charges in fracas

No charges will be laid against three West Shore RCMP officers involved in an altercation that left a woman with a broken jaw, says B.C.’s Criminal Justice Branch.

The woman was arrested for impaired driving about 1:15 a.m. on March 16, 2014.

According to a summary of the facts released by the prosecution service, she refused to take a taxi home and sat on the roadside crying.

She was then arrested for public intoxication and taken to police cells at the West Shore RCMP detachment in Langford. Police placed the woman in handcuffs after she became aggressive and refused to follow directions, the summary said.

The woman tried to kick one of the officers, who grabbed her leg, sending her to the floor. She cut her chin and broke her jaw. The woman was taken to hospital but was denied medical attention because she was rude and non-compliant with hospital staff.

She was brought back to police cells to sober up and six hours later, was brought back to hospital so medical staff could repair the wound to her chin.

The incident was reported to the Independent Investigations Office 14 months after the fact, which led the office to file a complaint with the RCMP over the delay.

The office investigates all policeinvolved deaths or serious injuries in B.C. and forwards a file to Crown prosecutors if there’s a reasonable basis for criminal charges. It does not make recommendations on charges.

The prosecution service determined that the available evidence did not meet the standards for charge approval and that prosecutors would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers committed a criminal offence or used excessive force.