The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating the death of a 44-year-old man while in RCMP custody in Melfort.
The death occurred on Tuesday, May 6, according to a Saskatchewan RCMP press release. Officers arrested the man on charges of disturbing the peace. He was found unresponsive at around 5:10 p.m. and transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The SIRT must be notified of an in-custody death under The Police Act, 1990.
The RCMP were called to Bermister Avenue West at around 9:45 a.m. following reports of a man disturbing the peace. The arrived to find a man who had broken the window in front of a residence.
Officers arrested the man and transported him to the Melfort RCMP detachment. EMS arrived at the detachment and transported the man to hospital for assessment.
The RCMP later received a report of a disturbance at the hospital involving the same man Officers took him into custody and transported him back to the Melfort detachment cells at around 10:45 a.m.
RCMP officers later found the man unresponsive at around 5:10 p.m. The officers began CPR immediately and contacted EMS, who transported the man back to hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is an independent, civilian-led unit responsible for investigating serious incidents involving: municipal police, RCMP officers, or special constables in Saskatchewan
SIRT is called to investigate when someone dies or is seriously injured while in police custody or as a result of a police officer’s actions. SIRT also investigates allegations of sexual assault or interpersonal violence involving police officers.
SIRT will release Public Reports within 90 days of all investigations ending.
