One RCMP officer faces assault charges following a November 14, 2020, incident in Maskwacis, while a second officer will not be charged, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) announced Wednesday.
The investigation, initiated in March 2021 under the Police Act, examined allegations of assault during a police pursuit. On the evening of November 14, Maskwacis RCMP responded to reports of vandalism and gunfire at a residence. Officers pursued a suspect vehicle with five occupants, which fled until becoming stuck in a snow-covered field.
In-car video from the RCMP’s Watchguard system captured the subsequent events. After the vehicle stopped, the driver exited, raised his hands, and lay prone. One officer, designated as Subject Officer 1 (SO1), applied force to the driver. Meanwhile, Subject Officer 2 (SO2) approached with a rifle, smashing a locked rear door window to access passengers.
SO2 then stomped on the driver’s leg and struck it with the rifle. Additional force was applied by SO1 to a passenger.
ASIRT’s investigation, guided by major case management principles, found reasonable grounds for assault by both officers. The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) recommended charges against SO1 for assault on the driver and a passenger — his case is before the courts.
No charges were recommended against SO2, as ACPS determined the evidence did not meet the threshold for a likely conviction. While SO2 faces no criminal charges, the RCMP may pursue disciplinary action under the RCMP Act.
ASIRT exclusively investigates incidents involving police officers in Alberta. According to its mandate under Section 46.1 of the Police Act, ASIRT is tasked with investigating incidents where police actions may have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct, such as fraud, breach of trust, sexual assault, aggravated assault, or systemic issues like racism or corruption.
Maskwacis, formerly known as Hobbema until its renaming in 2014, is an unincorporated community in central Alberta, Canada, located about 70 kilometers south of Edmonton at the intersection of Highway 2A and Highway 611.
It primarily consists of two Cree First Nations reserves — Ermineskin 138 to the north and Samson 137 to the south — along with an adjacent hamlet in Ponoka County.
Maskwacis has a reputation for high crime rates, particularly violent crime, driven by socioeconomic challenges, and gang activity.
