N.S. news: Possible excessive force in cell under investigation [Video]

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) is investigating a case of possible excessive force involving police and a youth in a Nova Scotia cell two months ago.

According to a news release from SiRT, West Hants RCMP officers arrested a “vulnerable female youth” on March 8. Police say a struggle ensued between two officers and the youth while placing her in the cells.

The release says the youth struck an officer and an officer hit the youth multiple times.

The RCMP and the Department of Community Services independently contacted SiRT about the incident on Friday.

SiRT looks into all matters involving death, intimate partner violence, sexual assault and serious injury potentially connected to actions by police officers in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

In a separate news release, RCMP superintendent Dan Morrow, Southwest Nova District police officer, said they take the allegation “very seriously” and they are fully cooperating with …