News Release

Chair-Initiated Public Complaint & Public Interest Investigation Subduing of Teenage Female
Inuvik, NWT, March 2007

OTTAWA, November 28, 2008 – Paul E. Kennedy, Chair of the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP (CPC), has initiated a complaint into the conduct of RCMP members present at, or engaged in, the apparent subduing of a teenage female at the Arctic Tern Young Offenders Facility in Inuvik, Northwest Territories by the use of a conducted energy weapon (CEW) on or about March 13, 2007. The complaint will also review the conduct of RCMP members who conducted the subsequent criminal investigation into the incident.

In his complaint, Mr. Kennedy indicates that given on-going expressions of public concern over the degree and type of force required by police when subduing individuals, with specific concerns over the policies and procedures related to the use of CEWs, as well as concerns over the propriety of RCMP members investigating themselves, he is satisfied there are reasonable grounds to investigate the conduct of all members involved in this incident and in the subsequent criminal investigation.

Accordingly, pursuant to subsection 45.37(1) of the RCMP Act, Mr. Kennedy is initiating a complaint into the conduct of all RCMP members involved in this incident, specifically:

• Whether RCMP members involved in the events on March 13, 2007 in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, where a teenage female was allegedly subdued with the use of a CEW, complied with all appropriate policies, procedures, guidelines and statutory requirements;
• Whether existing RCMP policies, procedures and guidelines applicable to such an incident are adequate;
• Whether RCMP members involved in the investigation of this incident conducted an investigation that was adequate, and free of actual or perceived conflict of interest; whether they responded appropriately and proportionately to the gravity of the incident; whether they responded in a timely fashion; and whether their conduct adhered to the standards set out in section 37 of the RCMP Act;
• Whether existing RCMP policies, procedures and guidelines are adequate to ensure that fair, effective, thorough and impartial investigations are carried out by RCMP members when investigating fellow RCMP members.

Furthermore, Mr. Kennedy is instituting a public interest investigation into this complaint, pursuant to subsection 45.43(1) of the RCMP Act.

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For more information, please contact:
Nelson Kalil
Manager, Communications
613-952-2452
nelson.kalil@cpc-cpp.gc.ca