The province’s police watchdog is investigating an incident in Duncan where a man was found in medical distress while in RCMP custody over the weekend.
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP told the Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia the man was arrested without incident on Friday at 3:45 p.m. and placed in the detachment’s cells.
On Saturday, after a video-bail hearing, the man was found to be in medical distress and paramedics took him to Cowichan District Hospital for treatment.
“The IIO has started an investigation to determine what role, if any, police actions or inactions may have played in the man’s condition,” the watchdog said in a statement.
The IIO said the man “sustained serious harm.”
The police watchdog is asking anyone with relevant information or video footage regarding the incident to contact the witness line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
The IIO, the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in B.C., investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
