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Police Acted Appropriately in New Glasgow Arrest

Jul
28

The province's independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) today released its report regarding the arrest of a man in New Glasgow on March 10, 2016.

Early on the morning of March 10, 2016, New Glasgow Regional Police responded to a robbery at the Needs Store on East River Road in New Glasgow. Three males in their early twenties had been involved, with two entering the store and one waiting outside. They called in two officers from the Stellarton Police Service to assist. Those officers were stationed at a nearby intersection to secure the area while awaiting the arrival of the New Glasgow Police Dog Services officer.

As they waited, they observed three males leave a nearby home. The quickly drove over to the males. As they did one 20-year-old male ran off down a neighbouring driveway. One officer briefly gave chase on foot but stopped when the male went over a snowbank at the end of the driveway. The police service dog arrived shortly after, and was able to locate the male under the deck of a home. He had suffered a serious injury to his leg. He surrender voluntarily, was taken into custody, and then transferred to the QEII hospital for surgery.

When interviewed the injured party said he ran off because he did not realize it was the police approaching but instead thought it might be persons who were had threatened another one of the males. He injured his leg at the end of the driveway when he fell down a drop off.

One of the other males pled guilty to the robbery, and the injured male is awaiting trial.

The police did nothing to cause the injury to the injured male, and were justified in approaching the three males to keep the area secured and as part of the investigation of the robbery. As a result there are no grounds to consider any charges against any police officer.

A complete copy of the report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca.

SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. Investigations are under the direction and control of independent civilian director Ron MacDonald, who is solely responsible for decisions respecting the laying of any charge.

Media Contact:

Ron MacDonald, QC

Director

902-424-8400 (o)

902-718-9707 (m)

Ronald.J.MacDonald@novascotia.ca