Cameron: “Our people deserve answers”
Leaders including FSIN Chief Bobby Cameron are calling for an investigation into have two RCMP officers conducted themselves during the arrest of a 40-year-old woman on Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, located west of Meadow Lake.
Cameron joined Meadow Lake Tribal Council Chief Jeremy Norman and Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation Chief Melvin Mooswa in calling for an investigation after video of the arrest began circling on social media. Cameron said police officers are entrusted with “extraordinary powers, including lawful authority to use force when circumstances require it,” but said that authority must be used with “professionalism, restraint, and sound judgement.”
“What is shown in this video is deeply alarming,” Cameron said in a statement issued on Wednesday. “There appears to be a significant imbalance in this encounter. The public has every right to ask how a situation involving two trained, fully equipped officers and one woman escalated to the point where a strike to the head was used.”
RCMP officers arrested 40-year-old Rose Georgina Angus the morning of July 27 along with two other men wanted on warrants by the Swift Current RCMP and Loon Lake RCMP respectively. According to an RCMP press release, two officers responded to reports of a drug-impaired person on the streets of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation. While responding, the officers noticed a man wanted on outstanding warrants entering a residence on the same street.
The officers approached the residence and spoke with the occupants at the door. The two men were arrested without incident, according to the report. However, the RCMP allege Angus became confrontational during the arrest, and punched the two officers.
“Police officers told her to stop moving but she left the entrance area of the residence and went down the stairs,” reads the RCMP report. “She was arrested outside the residence.
“The three arrested individuals were transported to the detachment, where the 40-year-old woman was seen by EMS for what was described as minor injuries.”
Angus’ daughter, Teyonah, later posted video of the arrest on her personal Facebook page. The video was shared more than 20,400 times as of Thursday evening.
“Our people deserve answers,” Cameron said in the FSIN press release. “They deserve to know whether the conduct seen in this video was consistent with the standards the RCMP expects of its officers.
“Whatever occurred before the camera started recording must be fully examined,” Cameron added. “But context cannot be used as an excuse to avoid accountability for what people clearly see.”
The Saskatchewan RCMP announced on July 28 that the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) would perform an external independent investigation of the incident. The officers involved will remain on duty during the investigation.
In their press release, the FSIN recognized that a video does not always capture the full context of an incident, but added that the footage raised serious concerns about the level of force used and whether it was necessary.
Meadow Lake Tribal Chief Jeremy Norman said the MLTC has long advocated for strong public safety measures and effective policing in First Nations communities. However, he added that an investigation was necessary to maintain public trust in the RCMP.
“We expect the police to conduct their duties in a respectful manner that serves, protects, and respects our people,” Norman said in a press release. “It is difficult to see aggressive enforcement on a woman that is much smaller than the two officers which could have been avoided.”
“We are not aware of the circumstances that took place outside of the social media videos, but it is imperative for our people, especially women to feel safe and be treated with respect in all circumstances. We ask that an investigation of the circumstances surrounding this incident takes place. Our concern is that this type of conduct is not tolerated but we do ask for public safety and policing for our communities!”
The SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault, or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody. The final report will be issued within 90 days of the investigation ending.
