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Kelowna RCMP officer 㽶Ƶֱlikely crossed criminal negligence threshold㽶Ƶֱ: IIO

Independent Investigations Office investigated the officer㽶Ƶֱs handling of a wellness check on Jan. 10
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An Independent Investigation Office of BC report concludes that a Kelowna RCMP officer㽶Ƶֱs inaction regarding a wellness check 㽶Ƶֱmay well constitute a breach of RCMP policy and practice.㽶Ƶֱ (File Photo)

The head of B.C.㽶Ƶֱs police watchdog office says a Kelowna RCMP officer 㽶Ƶֱlikely crossed the criminal negligence threshold㽶Ƶֱ in not properly conducting a wellness check in January 2024.

A report by Independent Investigations Office (IIO) Director Ron MacDonald states the officer failed to 㽶Ƶֱproperly comply with his sworn duty to protect life㽶Ƶֱ regarding a wellness check on Jan. 10.

The officer was sent to an apartment building after an out-of-province call asking to check on an individual who was extremely sick.

Unable to find the person㽶Ƶֱs buzzer number in the building directory, the officer left less than two and a half minutes later and told the caller to find someone else to check on their friend.

The report states the individual had no family or contacts in Kelowna. The building manager found a man dead in his apartment later that morning.

The same officer was sent back to the apartment to assist paramedics with a sudden death. A BC Coroners report states the death was from natural causes and occurred sometime on Jan. 9.

MacDonald㽶Ƶֱs report states the officer almost immediately abandoned his investigation after being stopped by the building㽶Ƶֱs front door.

㽶ƵֱThere were other options he could have pursued but failed to take any, other than to call the complainant back to tell her to get someone else to the job he had been tasked to do,㽶Ƶֱ the report reads.

MacDonald also writes that the officer could have tried to contact other residents, the manager, or the property owner.

㽶ƵֱIndeed a forced entry in these circumstances would quite likely have been appropriate.㽶Ƶֱ

MacDonald notes the evidence indicates that the officer㽶Ƶֱs to gain entry to the building 㽶Ƶֱdid not make any difference to the unfortunate outcome.㽶Ƶֱ

He concludes that the officer㽶Ƶֱs inactions 㽶Ƶֱmay well constitute a breach of RCMP policy and practice, a matter for their professional standards branch to address.㽶Ƶֱ

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About the Author: Gary Barnes

Journalist and broadcaster for three decades.
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