B.C. police watchdog called in after multi-city pursuit ends with dog bite
Credit to Author: Scott Brown| Date: Thu, 27 Feb 2020 22:33:19 +0000
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C., the province’s police watchdog, will investigate the actions of the cops involved in a multi-jurisdictional pursuit that started in Abbotsford and ended in West Vancouver on Wednesday.
The chase started around 1 p.m. on Highway 1 in Abbotsford when an RCMP traffic services officer, carrying out a traffic stop, tried to arrest a man with outstanding warrants. Police say the driver assaulted the officer and stole the Mountie’s keys before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
Officers communicated the vehicle’s position from police agency to police agency as it travelled through several Lower Mainland communities. The chase ended in West Van when police forced the suspect vehicle to a stop near the Capilano River Bridge.
During the subsequent arrest, the man was bitten by a police dog. The injury required surgery to repair.
The IIO, which investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, have been called in to determine whether police actions or inactions led to the man’s injuries.