Alberta's police watchdog has ruled that no criminal charges are warranted against Edmonton police officers in connection with the death of a man who suffered a fatal overdose while in a holding cell nearly five years ago.
ASIRT Investigation Details
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) released its report on Wednesday, concerning the death of an unidentified 36-year-old man on February 6, 2021. The man died in a cell at the Edmonton Police Service's southeast division station.
According to the report authored by ASIRT's acting executive director, Matthew Block, the incident began when police were dispatched to a "family fight" at a housing complex near 60 Street and 35A Avenue in southeast Edmonton. The caller requested help removing an unwanted person from a residence and reported that the individual possessed a sawed-off shotgun.
Arrest and Discovery of Weapon
Two officers located the man, who initially gave his name but became argumentative and refused to remove his hands from his pockets. Police arrested him for public intoxication and handcuffed him without physical resistance.
Once restrained, the man informed officers he had a shotgun in his backpack. A third officer searched the bag and located a loaded, stolen firearm along with additional ammunition. A records check confirmed the man was prohibited from possessing any firearms.
Erratic Behavior and Cell Placement
During transport to the police station, the detainee began acting erratically. He banged his head against the window, kicked the seat, and managed to slip his handcuffs from behind his back. After officers readjusted the restraints, he started smashing his head into the vehicle's plexiglass divider.
He was ultimately placed in a cell at 8:13 p.m. For the remainder of the night, he was observed sitting on the floor with his arms and feet crossed. A civilian guard conducted the mandated 15-minute checks, and ASIRT noted nothing appeared amiss during these observations.
Discovery and Toxicology Findings
The situation changed just before 6 a.m. when the guard and an officer went to deliver a sandwich. They found the man unresponsive with his head lolled backward.
Despite immediate chest compressions and other life-saving attempts, the man remained unconscious and was pronounced dead later that morning. An officer providing first aid later noticed a small brown pebble near the body.
Toxicology testing identified the substance as a mixture of methamphetamine and carfentanil, a potent synthetic opioid typically used to sedate large animals like elephants.
Watchdog's Conclusion
In his final analysis, Matthew Block concluded that the police officers who interacted with the man played no role in his death. While the civilian guard did not strictly alternate between visual and physical checks as per exact procedure, the detainee was under what amounted to "constant" supervision and displayed no visible signs of medical distress. Block noted the guard sometimes performed more visual checks than required.
ASIRT determined there were no grounds to lay any criminal charges in this case, closing the file on a death attributed to a toxic drug overdose while in police custody.
