Latest news with #MentalHealthServicesAct
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Sask. police watchdog provides new details in case of man who died in Melfort RCMP custody
New details, including a previously unreported physical altercation, are emerging in the death of 44-year-old man who died earlier this week while in Melfort RCMP's custody. Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating the death. SIRT is the province's civilian-led watchdog unit that investigates serious incidents involving police. RCMP issued a news release Wendesday saying the man had taken into custody at about 9:45 a.m. CST on May 6 after reports of a man disturbing the peace at a home on Bemister Avenue West in Melfort, Sask., which is about 150 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. Officers found a 44-year-old man they say had broken the window at the home, RCMP said. On Friday, a SIRT news release said RCMP found the man acting erratically and took him into custody under the Mental Health Services Act. Paramedics examined the man and he was taken to hospital for an injured hand. While the man was being examined, "another disturbance occurred," and RCMP attempted to take him back into custody, SIRT said. "During the process of taking the man back into custody, a physical altercation occurred," SIRT's release said. That altercation was not mentioned in the initial RCMP release. The man was back in a cell at the Melfort detachment by 10:45 a.m. CST Tuesday. At 5:10 p.m. CST, RCMP found the man in medical distress. Officers started CPR and EMS transported the man back to hospital, where he was declared dead. SIRT is investigating the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man's arrest and the cause of his death. SIRT reports are to be released to the public within 90 days of the end of the investigation.
CBC
03-05-2025
- CBC
Sask. police watchdog clears 2 RCMP officers in 2024 Swift Current wellness check death
Saskatchewan's police oversight organization has cleared two RCMP officers in the death of a woman they arrested. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is the provincial civilian-led watchdog agency that investigates incidents involving police. The new report looks at an incident that happened on May 5, 2024, when a 55-year-old woman died in Swift Current, about 230 kilometres west of Regina. SIRT says that at about 11:06 a.m. CST, a family member of the 55-year-old asked for a welfare check because the woman was allegedly upset, in pain and couldn't be convinced to go to a hospital. RCMP were also made aware of the women's history with substance abuse and talk of self-harm. Two officers then went to the hotel where the woman was staying and reported seeing sores on her feet when speaking with her. According to SIRT, an officer was able to convince the woman to go to a hospital and an ambulance was called. At about 11:40 a.m. CST, two paramedics arrived and entered the room, but the woman's level of co-operation changed, per the report. "While the EMS personnel were able to complete some checks on the affected person, she refused to allow others, became uncooperative, spoke of suicide, and stated that she wished she had died during an earlier incident with EMS," SIRT's report says. The report says the officer believed he had formed ground to take the woman into custody under the Mental Health Services Act, but told the woman he preferred if she went to the hospital voluntarily. "When the affected person swatted at the Subject Officer as he attempted to prevent her from lighting a cigarette during the examination, he placed her under arrest pursuant to The Mental Health Services Act." The woman was arrested without resistance or use of force from the officers, according to the report. SIRT says the woman kicked backward at an officer and hit them in the shin, but the officer didn't react and didn't use force. The woman was put on a stretcher and moved into the ambulance while handcuffed. While on the way to the Cypress Regional Hospital, the 55-year-old said her handcuffs were too tight. When the officer went to adjust the handcuffs, the woman went "limp" and into "medical distress," the report says. Police removed the handcuffs and paramedics began providing care for the woman. At about 11:58 a.m. CST, the ambulance arrived at the hospital. The woman was transferred to the care of medical staff and was declared dead by a doctor at about 12:26 p.m. CST. SIRT concluded that the "arrest was both based on reasonable grounds, and was reasonably conducted" and there were no grounds to believe the RCMP officers committed any offences.
CTV News
02-05-2025
- CTV News
Report into woman's 2024 in-custody death in Swift Current released
Following the investigation into a 2024 in-custody death in Swift Current, the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has released a report with their findings. Swift Current RCMP received a request to conduct a wellness check around 11:06 a.m. on May 5. A 55-year-old woman was found at a local hotel but refused assistance from police and EMS, according to SIRT's report. She was taken into custody under the Mental Health Services Act and brought into the ambulance waiting outside the hotel. However, on the way to Cypress Regional Hospital, she went into medical distress and became unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at 12:26 p.m. after she was admitted to hospital. SIRT was notified of the incident the next day. Four investigators and the civilian executive director were sent to Swift Current to begin their investigation. An autopsy conducted on May 7 found the woman died from cardiorespiratory arrest, as well as contributing factors including chronic and acute mental conditions, combined drug toxicity, and the stress of police detention. During SIRT's investigation, police and civilian witnesses were interviewed, and relevant audio, video, and documentary evidence was seized, the report said. The report found that while the officer placed the woman under arrest, he did so without any force, and she had been 'placed into the care of EMS personnel prior to the onset of her ultimately fatal medical distress.' 'It is further worth noting that prior to placing the affected person under arrest, the Subject Officer attempted to convince the affected person to attend for medical treatment voluntarily,' the report read. While the woman's stress from being arrested may have played a part in the timing of her medical distress, the report said the arrest was based on reasonable grounds and reasonably conducted, as the officer did so with prior knowledge of the woman's substance abuse and self harm. 'The combined information obtained both from the pre-existing information regarding the affected person as well as the observations of the Subject Officer made during the incident provided ample grounds for the Subject Officer to lawfully place the affected person under arrest pursuant to The Mental Health Services Act,' the report read. The investigation found that the subject officer did not commit any criminal offence during the incident and no charges will be laid. SIRT's mandate is to independently investigate in-custody deaths, injury from actions of police officers, and allegations of violence involving police.
Global News
30-04-2025
- Global News
Police watchdog investigating man's death at James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan's police watchdog says it is investigating a man's death after he was arrested on a First Nation northeast of Saskatoon on Monday. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team says Mounties were called to the James Smith Cree Nation for reports that the man was using bear spray in a home. View image in full screen The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team is investigating the death of a man on the James Smith Cree First Nation after RCMP attempted to arrest him under the Mental Health Services Act. Global News File Photo In a written statement about the incident, the agency said the 29-year-old fled after officers told him he was going to be arrested under the Mental Health Services Act. Story continues below advertisement It says a brief foot chase ensued before 'the man was taken into custody without the use of force and was handcuffed.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The statement said a conducted energy weapon (stun gun) 'was drawn during the pursuit but was not discharged during the encounter.' The man went into medical distress and died after they attempted life-saving measures, including administering naloxone several times. 1:08 Saskatoon police sergeant suspended, serious incident team investigating James Smith Cree Nation was the site of a mass stabbing nearly three years ago, which saw 10 people killed and 17 injured before Myles Sanderson killed another person in the nearby community of Weldon. With files from Global News.
CTV News
30-04-2025
- CTV News
James Smith Cree Nation man dies in RCMP custody; SIRT launches investigation
Saskatchewan's police watchdog is taking over the investigation into the death of a 29-year-old man in RCMP custody on the James Smith Cree Nation. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) says the man died on April 28 after going into medical distress not long after being handcuffed. Shortly before 8 a.m. on April 28, Melfort RCMP received calls reporting a man spraying bear mace within an occupied home on the James Smith Cree Nation. Three officers, along with community peacekeepers, responded and located the man inside the home. According to SIRT, after a brief interaction, the man fled after he was informed he would be taken into custody under the Mental Health Services Act. After a short pursuit, SIRT says he was taken into custody 'without the use of force,' however, shortly after being handcuffed, he went into medical distress. Officers immediately contacted EMS and started providing first aid, including CPR and administering naloxone. Despite their efforts, the man was pronounced dead shortly after paramedics arrived at the scene at around 9:43 a.m. SIRT investigators will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man's arrest and the cause of his death. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for investigating the original incident involving the discharge of bear spray. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.
