Questions about use of force ‘will get answered’: Bray
Regina’s police Chief Evan Bray has seen the video that surfaced this week fuelling questions about the amount of force used during an arrest — but is confident a fuller picture will emerge with investigations underway.
Bray said he still has questions about the full context of the incident.
“I don’t know what the offences were that were committed. I don’t know the background history of what happened. I don’t know what weapons were involved. I don’t know what verbal exchange happened,” Bray told the Leader-post Tuesday. “When we had the video come forward, it was absolutely something that we were instantly willing to open an investigation into. But that’s the beauty of an investigation, every question that I just threw out to you … we will get answered.”
Investigations by the Regina Police Service and Public Complaints Commission are underway after home security camera footage of an arrest by Regina police officers early Friday morning was posted online this week.
The video shows three officers chasing a man and tackling him to the ground in front of a house.
Once the man is on the ground, seemingly held there by at least two of the officers, a fourth officer runs over. In motions partially obscured by a hedgerow, the officer can be seen three times swinging one bent leg back and forth toward the man on the ground.
The man is lifted up from the ground and put in a police cruiser. He appears to have trouble standing and later slumps out of the car when the door is opened. An ambulance arrives and the man is placed on a stretcher by police and paramedics and carried into the ambulance.
Regina police haven’t provided any details on the man’s condition or why he was being pursued.
Bray said police officers use force when needed. If it’s alleged too much force was used, Bray pointed out that there is a process to independently determine if the actions were justified. In addition to investigations by the complaints commission and the police professional standards section, the incident will be reviewed by the RPS use of force board, with oversight from the Saskatchewan Police Commission.
“I think we do a very good job of regulating and making sure that we’re not stepping outside of the law. We are doing what we are legally able to do in a way that keeps everybody safe, including the offenders that we’re trying to arrest,” Bray said.
The complaint commission is a non-police body that investigates and reviews complaints against municipal police. Its five members are appointed by the government.
John Clarke, the commission’s director, said the video will be a part of its investigation. It will also interview witnesses, which would include the police officers, EMS members, anyone who saw the arrest and the man who was arrested. He couldn’t say how long the process will take.
“The first step is to gather as much information as we possibly can and then proceed with the interviews that would substantiate and provide an explanation as to what various people have seen and other observations,” Clarke said Tuesday in a phone interview.
The commission began an investigation after the police service made it aware of the incident. The police learned of the video after getting Facebook messages from residents about the arrest and a Regina woman visited police headquarters to make a complaint after seeing the video.
Clarke said the PCC has not received a complaint from the arrested man.
The complaints commission has requested that police transfer all the appropriate materials to its office for the investigation.
During any investigation, the commission may reach a point where it feels public prosecutions should review a case. It would then be up to public prosecutions to determine if there is any criminality on the part of the officers. If so, it could result in a criminal charge.
After the commission finishes its investigation, it will make a recommendation to Bray. The commission is not responsible for discipline against officers, which is the responsibility of the chief.
When we had the video come forward, it was ... something that we were instantly willing to open an investigation into.