BC’s police watchdog organization, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC, has cleared Saanich Police officers of wrongdoing in an incident that occurred last July.
The IIO investigates all police incidents that result in serious harm or death to suspects and determines whether there was wrongdoing on the officers’ part.
They have now closed an investigation from an incident which occurred in July in which a suspect was injured by a Saanich Police dog.
According to the IIO, officers responded to a call about a man attempting to break into a bike shop in the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre.
Upon arrival, police say they found that multiple E-bikes had been stolen using an industrial forklift that had also been stolen from a nearby construction site.
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Saanich Police located a man hiding near some bushes and arrested him with the assistance of a police service dog.
The IIO says that it was later determined the suspect had suffered an injury to his leg during the arrest, as well as bite wounds from the police dog.
He was treated at a hospital for his injuries.
The IIO commenced an investigation into the matter after they were notified of the incident by Saanich Police.
The Chief Civilian Director, Jessica Berglund, has now reviewed the available evidence, which included medical records, photographic evidence and police reports.
Berglund has determined the man’s injuries do not meet the threshold of serious harm as defined by the Police Act.
Because of this determination, the IIO investigation is now closed and the officers involved have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
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