If we are to move forward in any capacity, then we need to seriously open our eyes, for each and every non-Native, to the realities that we, Indigenous people of the land (face).
Arresting RCMP officer was charged with assault in unrelated incident
Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation Chief Allan Adam, who was violently tackled during an arrest by the RCMP, after charges against him were dropped on Wednesday.
The Alberta First Nation chief whose violent arrest became part of a national conversation on systemic racism says he was “shocked” to learn the Mountie who tackled him had recently been charged with assault in connection with a previous, offduty incident.
Chief Allan Adam of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation made the comment Wednesday, as the charges of resisting arrest and assaulting a peace officer that he himself had faced were dropped by the Crown in front of a Fort McMurray provincial court judge.
“I was shocked … that the RCMP had one of their members brought before the court for a felony charges, and allowed him (to continue) to make decisions as an RCMP officer,” Adam told a news conference after the court hearing. Alberta RCMP said Wood Buffalo RCMP Const. Simon Seguin, who Adam’s lawyer has identified as the officer seen tackling Adam to the ground in a dash-cam video from March, was charged while off-duty with assault, mischief and unlawfully (being in) a dwelling house on Aug. 5, 2019. He is scheduled to attend court on Sept. 20.
When asked if he wanted to see if the involved officer charged or fired, the chief said he believed it would be more beneficial for the entire RCMP organization to be overhauled.
“If I ask for them to be charged or to be fired, what would that accomplish? … In this matter, I leave that up their peers.”
Adam said he hopes the dropping of charges against him — and his ordeal as a whole — will serve as a wake-up call about what Indigenous people deal with in Canada.
“If we are to move forward in any capacity, then we need to seriously open our eyes, for each and every non-Native, to the realities that we, Indigenous people of the land (face),” Adam said.
Adam went further Wednesday, making several recommendations to achieve justice for Indigenous people when it comes to policing — including the establishment of an Indigenous police force with full authority; a liaison between police and Indigenous peoples; and more cross-cultural training.
He also said criminal charges against First Nations people should also be considered as a mental health matter. RCMP acknowledged the Crown had decided to withdraw the charges.
“The role of the police is to investigate and gather evidence in support of a charge and the RCMP fulfilled that role on this file. The Crown’s role is to assess the elements of the offence and to determine if they prosecute. As we’ve heard today, the Crown has made the decision to withdraw the charges,” RCMP said in an emailed statement.
The development came after the RCMP dash-cam footage of Adam’s arrest was made public earlier this month.
The 12-minute video shows Adam, who was stopped for an expired plate, walking back and forth between his truck and a RCMP cruiser, shouting profanities at an officer.
Another Mountie then charges at Adam, tackling him to the ground and punching him in the head.
The RCMP initially stated that the officers’ actions were reasonable, while the province’s police watchdog has since said it is investigating the arrest.
Adam’s lawyer, Brian A. Beresh, called the decision to drop the charges “a true victory not only for Allan Adam and his family, and other Indigenous accused, but for our society generally.”
Beresh said the incident shines a “clear spotlight” on systemic racism that has for “too long gone unchecked.” He said it was clear police charged Adam as a “shield” for their own actions.
“Today, I hope casts light on an unfortunate event,” Beresh said. “But one which typifies how Indigenous people have too often been treated where they haven’t had the benefit of Chief Allan Adam’s eloquence, his determination to stand for his rights.”
He said the incident highlighted the need for more checks and balances when it comes to police conduct. Adam was asked for his thoughts on the RCMP launching a reconciliation strategy last week, where they said they would take feedback from working groups, Indigenous leaders, Elders, advisers, communities and staff to re-evaluate how they police and ensure cultural sensitivity.
Adam said he was not aware of the strategy, but suggested they look at the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation report.