Police watchdog recommends charges against Sicamous RCMP officers in ‘altercation’ that sent suspect to hospital

Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has recommended charges against Sicamous RCMP officers involved in an altercation with a suspect that sent him to hospital.

The incident happened, April 14, after a report at around noon of a suspicious person on a forest service road off of Highway 97A near Sicamous, according to an Independent Investigations Office of B.C. press release issued today, Oct. 22.

Based on the description of the suspicious man’s vehicle, police believed he was the subject of outstanding warrants.

Officers located the man who initially took off in his vehicle, and they managed to stop him shortly after. The man exited his vehicle and there was an altercation with the officers resulting in serious but non life-threatening injuries to the suspect. He was then taken to the hospital.

READ MORE: B.C.'s police watchdog investigating fatal RCMP-involved shooting in Quesnel

The incident was investigated by the police watchdog which found there are reasonable grounds to believe the arresting officers may have committed offences in relation to the use of force, chief civilian director Ronald J. MacDonald said in the release.

The report has been sent to the B.C. Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.

For charges to be approved by the prosecution service, it must be satisfied of a substantial likelihood of conviction, and prosecution must be in the public interest, the IIO said.

The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in B.C. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.

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