**** SiRT Release
SIRT Concludes Investigation into Serious Injury Sustained During Arrest
The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) found no reasonable grounds to believe that a member of the Halifax Regional Police (HRP) committed a criminal offence in connection with a serious injury sustained during arrest.
The SiRT was contacted by the HRP on July 18, 2024, regarding an incident that occurred on July 16, 2024. HRP were called to a break and enter in progress. 911 callers had reported that a woman was attempting to gain entry into a residence. When a police officer arrived on scene, he located the woman on the steps of the residence. Her arm was bleeding from breaking a window. The officer issued commands for the woman to drop her purse and attempted to arrest her. She held onto her purse, pulled away, and went to reach into her purse. The officer performed a sweeping of the legs manoeuvre, causing her to fall to the ground. The woman complained of pain and was transported to the police station. Emergency Health Services (EHS) attended and medically cleared her. When she returned home, she continued to experience discomfort. She contacted EHS and was transported to hospital where she was diagnosed with a lacerated liver and was hospitalized for several days.
The full report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca
The SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest to be investigated that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.
