Saskatchewan's Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has exonerated Melfort RCMP officers of any criminal liability following the death of a man while in police custody on May 6, 2025. The civilian-led oversight body released a report on April 27 detailing the events leading to the fatality.
Incident Overview
On the morning in question, two Mounties responded to a report of a possible break-and-enter at a residential address in Melfort. Upon arrival, one officer determined that no break-in had occurred; instead, the occupant had caused damage to the property he was renting. The individual, described in the report as sweaty, breathing rapidly, and exhibiting manic behavior, had a minor laceration on his hand and admitted to consuming cocaine.
Attempted Medical Assessment
The man was taken into custody for evaluation by paramedics. However, he displayed erratic behavior and refused to allow paramedics to examine him. Subsequently, he was transported to a hospital but again declined assessment by medical professionals. The attending officer decided to return him to the police station.
During the transfer, the man resisted, leading to a brief physical struggle. He was eventually handcuffed and placed in a holding cell at approximately 10:44 a.m. Around 1:04 p.m., a civilian guard heard the man yell from his cell, requesting to go back to the doctor. One officer believed the request could wait until the man was sober enough for a hospital visit.
Discovery and Autopsy
At approximately 5:09 p.m., the man was found unresponsive in his cell. According to cell block video, there was an 11-minute gap between his last observable movements and the discovery, at which point life-saving measures were initiated. Despite these efforts, he died. An autopsy determined the cause of death to be acute cocaine toxicity, with severe coronary artery atherosclerosis as a contributing factor.
SIRT's Conclusion
The SIRT report concluded that police conduct did not constitute a marked departure from the standard expected of a reasonably prudent officer. It stated that even if such a departure existed, the likelihood of harm to the individual was not objectively foreseeable at the time. After reviewing all circumstances, SIRT found no grounds to believe any officer committed a criminal offense, and no charges will be filed.
