Posted:
The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) found no reasonable grounds to believe a Halifax Regional Police (HRP) officer acted with excessive force while responding to a call in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
On December 4, 2024, HRP responded to a call regarding an adult male who was not wearing any clothes walking in the downtown area of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Two officers located the male in the lobby of an apartment building. The male was not wearing any clothes and was asking to be taken to jail. When he was told he would not be going to jail the male became upset and started swatting and spitting at one of the officers. The other officer intervened and attempted to bring the male to a chair at which time they both fell, and the male hit his face on the tile floor. A third HRP officer who was outside in their vehicle was able to identify the male as a 35-year old with a cognitive disability. The male was brought to his place of residence where he was assessed by EHS and later brought to the hospital. He was diagnosed with a broken nose and also lost a tooth as a result of the fall.
HRP became aware of the seriousness of the male’s injuries on January 7, 2025, and contacted SiRT that day.
The Director’s summary report is available at: Recent Publications | SiRT.
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.
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Media Contact:
Khalehla Perrault, Manager of Communications & Special Projects