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Kirkland Lake OPP officer under investigation for Tasering

PostPosted: Mon Feb 10, 2014 8:35 pm
by Thomas
KIRKLAND LAKE - The use of a Taser by Kirkland Lake OPP officer during the arrest of a male on Government Road outside of Billy's Sportsbar and Grill on Government Road in Kirkland Lake is being investigated by the OPP Professional Standards Branch.

The incident, which was video taped and put on Youtube, shows two officers attempting to arrest a male, who is on the ground resisting. During the incident the two officers stand back and one yells Taser and then uses his Conducted Energy Weapon to subdue the suspect.

Sgt. Mike Johnston reported to Kirkland Lake Police Services Board that when ever an officer uses force, no matter what kind of force, a report is filled out and reviewed by his supervisor. In this case physical force and a Taser were used.

After reviewing the report and video Sgt. Johnston said Detachment Commander, Staff Sgt. Rick Witty decided to refer the incident to the OPP Professional Standards Branch and have them investigate the incident to see where it falls in terms of use of force.

The officer's report about the incident and the video have been sent to the Professional Standards Branch for investigation.

Sgt. Johnston said there is always a review when an OPP officer uses force. This includes physical force, pepper spray, a taser, or any other type of force. In these cases paper work is completed, it goes to the officer's supervisor and then is passed up the ladder to be reviewed by the OPP Training Branch and can be sent to the Professional Standards Branch.

With this incident being forwarded to the OPP Professional Standards Branch by the Detachment Commander it will be reviewed at that level and they will determined if the amount of force, in this case a Taser, was appropriate in the situation faced by the officers, or if they used excessive force.

The report by the Professional Standards Branch will determine if any further action is required and the OPP will act on the report.

Kirkland Lake Mayor Bill Enouy said they are not going to prejudge what happened and will not make prejudicial judgments. He noted that no one knows the circumstances the officers were dealing with at the time, or what happened prior to the video.

When the OPP Professional Standards Branch has completed its investigation, Enouy said, Staff Sgt. Witty will report the results back to the Police Services Board. He continued that this could be done at an open meeting or it could be done at an in camera meeting, which is closed to the public and media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zgPZ5kBI7I

http://www.northernnews.ca/2014/02/10/k ... sing-taser

K.L. OPP officer cleared in taser arrest

PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 6:45 am
by Thomas
KIRKLAND LAKE - The Kirkland Lake OPP officer who was under investigation for the use of a Conducted Energy Weapon (taser) during the arrest of a man outside Billy's Sports Bar and Grill on Government Road in Kirkland Lake has been cleared of any wrong doing by the OPP Professional Standards Branch.

Shortly after the incident a video that showed the officer using his Conducted Energy Weapon was posted on social media sites. Many comments about the arrest were also posted by people who viewed the video.

Staff Sgt. Rick Witty, Detachment Commander Kirkland Lake Detachment, announced at a previous Polcie Services Board meeting he forwarded the video to the OPP's Professional Standards Branch, which conducted an investigation to see if the officer involved did follow OPP guidelines.

OPP Sgt. Mike Johnston reported to the Kirkland Lake Police Services Board the OPP Professional Standards Branch looked at the video and the circumstances surrounding the video and concluded the officer did not use excessive force while making the arrest.

In answering a question from Police Service Board Member Al French, Sgt. Johnston said the Professional Service Branch does not normally talk to the civilian involved and if they are concerned about something they saw they may talk to the Kirkland Lake Detachment Commander. He continued that the person involved has the right to lodge a complaint, but as far as Sgt Johnston knows this has not happened.

Kirkland Lake Mayor Bill Enouy, Chair of the Police Service Board, said no one likes to see the use of a taser in the community and from this perspective the case is closed.

The mayor said people may not like this result but at least it was investigated by an another agency.

http://www.northernnews.ca/2014/05/05/k ... ser-arrest