IIO clears Pitt Meadows RCMP officers in May in-custody injury investigation
B.C.’s police watchdog has cleared Pitt Meadows RCMP officers of potential criminal wrongdoing after a man was injured while being restrained in a police cell earlier this year.
The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) announced Nov. 9 that it had concluded its investigation into the May 29, 2026, incident, finding no reasonable grounds to believe an officer may have committed an offence.
According to the IIO, the man was initially arrested for theft by Pitt Meadows RCMP officers. After identifying him, police discovered he was also in violation of a condition of a court release order.
He was subsequently transported to the Pitt Meadows RCMP detachment and placed in a holding cell.
The IIO said officers initially restrained the man because of safety concerns related to “assaultive behaviour.”
Police later removed the restraints after determining he no longer posed a risk. However, officers were required to restrain him a second time shortly afterward because of renewed safety concerns.
During that second restraint, the man sustained an injury and was transported to hospital for assessment and treatment. The nature and severity of the injury have not been publicly disclosed.
The IIO was notified of the incident on May 30 and subsequently launched an investigation, which was publicly announced on June 25.
In its initial release, the watchdog said preliminary information from the RCMP indicated the man had begun behaving in a manner that required officers to restrain him. Police later re-entered the cell over safety concerns, leading to an interaction during which the man was injured.
The man subsequently complained of an injury and was transported to hospital by ambulance.
Following its investigation, the IIO’s chief civilian director reviewed evidence collected by investigators, including witness statements, medical records and video footage from inside the police detachment.
The director determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe an officer may have committed an offence, bringing the independent investigation to a close.
However, the watchdog has not yet released its full findings.
The IIO said a public report will be published once a related police investigation and court process have concluded. It did not provide a timeline for the report’s release or further details about those proceedings.
The IIO is B.C.’s independent civilian police oversight agency, responsible for investigating incidents involving officers that result in serious harm or death, regardless of whether wrongdoing has been alleged.
Its investigations examine whether police actions or inaction contributed to an injury or death and whether there are reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence may have occurred.
