News Release

Chair-Initiated Complaint & Public Interest Investigation – In-Custody Deaths Proximal to CEW Use

OTTAWA, January 15, 2009  – 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, incidents where individuals in RCMP custody died following the use of a conducted energy weapon (CEW), which incidents have taken place anywhere in Canada between January 1, 2001 and January 1, 2009.

Since the RCMP began using the CEW in 2001, a number of individuals have died while in RCMP custody following utilization of the weapon.

In his complaint, Mr. Kennedy indicates that given the expressions of public concern and of the CPC as they relate to deaths of individuals in RCMP custody, as well as the degree and type of force required by police officers when effecting an arrest and specific concerns raised over the use of a CEW, including related training, policy, procedures and guidelines for deployment thereof, he is satisfied there are reasonable grounds to investigate the conduct of all RCMP members involved in these incidents.

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 these incidents, specifically:

• Whether the RCMP officers involved in the aforementioned events, from the moment of initial contact with the individual until the time of each individual's death, complied with all appropriate training, policies, procedures, guidelines and statutory requirements relating to the use of force; and
• Whether existing RCMP policies, procedures and guidelines applicable to such incidents are adequate.

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