The fatality inquiry was ordered to examine the police's use of force and to prevent deaths from similar situations occurring in the future.
Article content
A fatality inquiry into the death of a retired teacher shot and killed by Calgary police officers in 2016 recommends the province create a task force to address gaps in the mental health system as well as a task force to research and acquire less-lethal options for police in the province.
Advertisement 2
Article content
Robert William Crowle was shot and killed by police in his southeast Calgary home in 2016 when he was found attempting suicide after he attacked his grandson. Police were called to the home by the grandson, who reported Crowle had attacked him with a hammer while he slept. The 20-year-old relative escaped the home with extensive injuries after he was able to call 911.
Officers located Crowle in his garage in a disassociated state holding a knife. He had put a tube from his running car’s exhaust into the window of the vehicle. A report into Crowle’s death produced by justice Sharon Van De Veen explains two officers entered the garage. One stepped backward after finding Crowle and tripped, falling over. As Crowle advanced toward the officer, his partner instructed him to drop the knife before firing a shot into his shoulder.
Advertisement 3
Article content
The officers attempted first aid but Crowle later died on his way to the hospital.
ASIRT later cleared the officers involved in Crowle’s shooting of any wrongdoing.
The fatality inquiry, ordered to examine the police’s use of force and to prevent deaths from similar situations occurring in the future, heard reports from 12 witnesses including officers on scene, an ASIRT investigator, staff from the chief medical examiner’s office and an expert in police use of force.
The inquiry found the former teacher and vice-principal did not match the typical profile of someone who was likely to commit suicide by police but noted that in his mental state, he likely was unable to comprehend reality when police interrupted his plan.
Advertisement 4
Article content
An expert in police use of force testified that in this case, lethal force was reasonable given Crowle was armed, advancing on police and less-lethal options available to police were not appropriate given the speed at which the encounter occurred.
However, the report recommended the Government of Alberta create a task force to address ‘glaring gaps’ in the provincial mental health system. The report found there were a number of missed opportunities to intervene in regards to Crowle’s declining health, including at the hospital he attended after a fight with his grandson.
The report notes many jurisdictions in North America are grappling with how to address these issues while police remain as first responders to people in a crisis.
Advertisement 5
Article content
“The only way to prevent dangerous encounters with police by persons in crisis and emotionally disturbed individuals is to prevent the crisis from occurring in the first place,” reads the report.
The report also recommends the province create a task force that includes the Calgary Police Service to carry out the research, development and acquisition of non-lethal weapons that can be used by police who are called to respond to people in crisis. The task force would include experts in the field and would look to procure easy to use and are reasonably priced.
Requests for comment sent to the province were not returned Saturday.
Fatality report finds cops need more less-lethal options, calls for task force - Calgary Herald
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment