By Greg Fry

Kamloops Mountie cleared in IIO investigation

Dec 19, 2017 | 11:53 AM

KAMLOOPS — A Kamloops RCMP officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in a death by suicide case by the Independent Investigations Office of BC.

The IIO started its investigation in October 2016 after the RCMP were notified that a man who had been arrested by the RCMP later committed suicide after visiting the Kamloops detachment.

Chief Civilian Director of the IIO Ronald MacDonald was tasked with investigating whether or not the officer, “through an action or an inaction, may have committed any offence” in relation to the incident that led to the suicide.

The investigation included evidence gathered from six family members, seven police officers, text messages between the decased and his former spouse and video evidence.

MacDonald noted though a witness had stated that the affected person previosuly made expressions of self-harm, the affected person himself denied any intention of self-harm and was issued a promise to appear in court with certain conditions.

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The report goes on to say that the next afternoon, a note from the affected person was found in which he indicated he was considering taking his own life and later that day he was found dead by a self-inflicted gunshot wound in an isolated location on a logging road.

Though the Mental Health Act provides for the appehension of a person by a police officer to immediately take that person to a physician for examination if the officer feels that the person is acting in a manner likely to endanger his or her safety or the safety of others, “there was no indication of mental illness or that the affected person was acting in a self-endangering way or likely to endanger others at that time.”

MacDonald found that the officer had offered the man a ride home, which was declined and that the officer also went by the man’s home to ensure he had arrived home safely.

“This was an example of the appropriate efforts Officer 1 took to ensure AP was safe,” adding “Officer 1 acted appropriately and met all her duties as a police officer.”