Latest news with #SIRT
CTV News
11 hours ago
- CTV News
SIRT investigating after man dies while in-custody of Kamsack RCMP
An RCMP detachment can be seen in this file photo. (David Prisciak/CTV News) The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating after a man died while in the custody of Kamsack RCMP. According to the police service, RCMP officers arrested a 61-year-old man on June 3 in the community of Kamsack. The man was wanted on multiple outstanding warrants. He made his first appearance in provincial court on June 4 and was remanded into custody while he awaited his next court appearance on June 6. However, on June 5, the man was discovered unresponsive in his cell at the Kamsack RCMP detachment. Paramedics were called to the scene. However, the man was declared dead. His family has been notified. Legislation requires SIRT to investigate anytime someone dies or is seriously injured while in police custody or due to police actions in Saskatchewan. The police watchdog also investigates allegations of sexual assault or interpersonal violence involving police officers. Kamsack is located approximately 260 kilometres northeast of Regina.
CTV News
29-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
SIRT investigating officer-involved shooting in Canwood, Sask.
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has been deployed to the Canwood area to investigate a non-fatal officer involved shooting. According to Saskatchewan's police watchdog, the shooting occured Wednesday afternoon. In a news release sent shortly after 6 p.m., the Saskatchewan RCMP said there was an increased police presence in the area – about 10 kilometers east of Canwood. According to the RCMP, the increased presence was related to an ongoing investigation. People were asked to avoid the areas where police officers are present and follow any police direction provided. RCMP said they will provide an update when it's available. Canwood, Sask. is located about 153 kilometres north of Saskatoon.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
SIRT negotiators honored at state conference for role in July 2024 standoff
May 22—A little after 9 a.m. on July 9, 2024, negotiators from Special Incident Response Team (SIRT) were able to bring a lengthy standoff to an end, resulting in the apprehension of Kristofer Karl Luiken and the freeing of his seven-year-old daughter. In what started at a Kwik Trip in Owatonna the night before, negotiators in Austin were able to bring the whole thing to a peaceful end. On Wednesday, the team was honored by the Crisis Negotiators Association of Minnesota (CNAM) with its Negotiation of the Year Award, recognizing the team for their efforts during the over 10-hour resolution. "Being a negotiator is a skill that not everybody possesses," Austin Police Department Detective and SIRT Commander Dustin Hicks said. "It's an art or a craft they hone every day." "The award is well earned and well deserved," he added. According to the CNAM website, the award recognizes excellence during a negotiation event and consists of several factors including exceptional teamwork, tactics, communication, innovation and resolution. Nominated by APD Lt. Michael Hartman, the SIRT team of negotiators include Sgt. Daniel Osborne, officers Sam Schuweiler and Ryan McCormack, Mower County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jamie Meyer and Laura Geffert, a former telecommunicator for the county and currently a probation officer with Mower County Corrections. While all involved agreed that the award was nice, negotiators also agreed that it's more of a reflection of the negotiation team and the SIRT team as a whole. "I think it shows our dedication to not only the team itself, but the community," Geffert said. "We work hard in our training to prepare for these events. We hope they don't happen, but we train hard and are ready when they do." The incident that earned the team the award started at 10:30 p.m. on July 8 when officers with the Owatonna Police Department were dispatched to a child welfare check at the Kwik Trip. After officers made contact with Luiken, he fled with his daughter in the vehicle, striking an OPD squad car before eventually fleeing south on Highway 218. The pursuit was picked up by the Minnesota State Patrol, which was able to deploy stop sticks after Luiken crossed into Mower County, deflating all four tires. Already a charged situation, Luiken eventually made it to his mother's house in Austin and parked the car in the driveway. At that point Luiken informed law enforcement that he had gas in the car with the girl and that he was refusing to release the girl. However, law enforcement was eventually able to secure the girl's release, who was later turned over to family members. "Ultimatley, our goal is the preservation of life and that's for everybody," said Schuweiler, the team's lead. "Across the board that is what we're hoping for. Being able to see the little girl afterwards ... and being able to recognize me as a person that was there, that's fun. It's nice to see that even though it was a very negative experience, there can still be a positive from what they recognize and realize. These people are here to help me." Hicks stressed that situations like the June 9, 2024 incident isn't a solo job, but that of a team of negotiators that are ideally able to respond each time, who take on a number of different roles from the person handling the communications with the person to those that are providing support by suggesting routes to take, getting in touch with family and sharing intelligence. All of that, he said, was on display during the incident. "Any time it escalates to the level of a SIRT call out, it's not a good deal for anyone," Hicks said. "If we can keep it from escalating to that level I think we're doing everybody in the community a service." Hicks added that oftentimes that goal is reached even before SIRT tactical can get to the scene or even the Law Enforcement Center and when that happens it's a weight lifted for everybody. "It's that relief. This is over and we can move on," Schuweiler said. "For them, it's thank gosh this is over for them. Now they can move on for her, the little girl and the family." However, in the end it's simply showing up to do a job when required, no matter when that is — late at night, early in the morning or during other work and it plays to the overall concept of the team from the negotiators through to SIRT. "That's just what we do — we just show up when the call comes," Geffert said. "The award was focused on negotiators, but we're not able to do what we do — our job — unless everybody else is playing their part too. I think it's a team thing. We all have a role and we are better together."
CTV News
21-05-2025
- CTV News
SIRT releases report on 2023 RPS death
Regina Watch WATCH: SIRT has cleared RPS of any wrongdoing, after a 2023 in-custody death was found to be due to attempted drug smuggling.
CBC
20-05-2025
- CBC
Man likely trying to smuggle drugs when he died in Regina police custody: watchdog
A man who died while in police custody was likely trying to smuggle drugs into a correctional facility, according to a report from Saskatchewan's police watchdog organization. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) came to that conclusion in a report released Tuesday morning that also cleared police of any wrongdoing in the death. SIRT investigates incidents where people are harmed or die during involvement with police. On Aug. 21, 2023, a 23-year-old man turned himself in to Regina police in relation to warrants he had from another police service. The man was placed in detention around noon, but began complaining of a fever, tremors and body aches later that evening. A detention paramedic believed it to be withdrawal symptoms. The man was given non-prescription pain medication to ease the symptoms at around 2:30 the next day. An hour later the man was found unresponsive in his cell and taken to Regina General Hospital in critical condition. At the hospital, a scan revealed six packages within the man's body, SIRT's report says. Medical personnel removed five of the six packages, but the last package could not be removed. The man died that afternoon and an autopsy revealed he died from acute methamphetamine toxicity. A laboratory analysis of the packages removed from the man show they contained methamphetamine and morphine, the report says. "Two of the seized packages contained samples unsuitable for analysis, and as such, their contents remain unknown," the report says. SIRT conducted with both civilians and police, as well as reviewing video footage and audio of the events leading up to the man's death. The report said at 10 a.m. CST on Aug. 21, the man and another person took a taxi to the police station. When they arrived, the other person remained in the taxi and instructed the driver to wait, as he wanted to make sure the man went in, and that he didn't "back out." Once inside, the man waited in the police lobby while they verified he had warrants out for his arrest. He told police he had no medical conditions and was not suicidal. He also said he had consumed alcohol, but denied taking any drugs within the preceding 24 hours. The report said the man was regularly monitored by both police and paramedics at intervals of about 15 minutes while in the cell. "Based on the evidence gathered, it appears highly likely that the affected person's reason for taking this action was to attempt to smuggle controlled substances into a correctional facility," the report concluded. The report goes on to say that cell checks were conducted both by police and detention paramedics at regular intervals throughout the man's time in custody. "Unfortunately, these checks were conducted without the aid of accurate information regarding the nature of the affected person's condition."
