Crown counsel was unable to approve “significant” drug and weapons charges stemming from an arrest in Quesnel, B.C., last year because the officers involved “refused to provide any evidence,” according to a report from the province’s police watchdog.
The Independent Investigations Office was called in to probe the incident because the man who was arrested suffered a serious injury, specifically fractures to both bones in one of his arms. The IIO’s report was released Wednesday and found no reasonable grounds to believe that the officers involved committed a criminal offence, but did refer the matter to the RCMP’s Professional Standards Section.
“Crown counsel attempting to conduct a prosecution on firearms and drug charges was prevented from doing so by the failure of two involved officers to comply with their duty to prepare and file police notes and reports about such a serious incident,” wrote Ronald MacDonald, chief civilian investigator, concluding his report.
The arrest occurred on …