Man's injuries following arrest being investigated by SiRT

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An incident involving Saint John Police officers that resulted in injuries to a man who had been arrested for causing a public disturbance is being investigated.

Saint John Police stated in a media release the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has been contacted for an independent investigation into the weekend incident.

Police report it was just before 11 p.m. Saturday when officers responded to a report of an intoxicated man at a business in the 100-block of Portland Street. Officers arrived, located the suspect – who police report was intoxicated and in an agitated state – and arrested the man for causing a disturbance in a public place.

“The accused was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Saint John Police detention facility,” police stated. “An altercation took place between the man and arresting officers as he was being placed into a holding cell.”

That altercation resulted in the man sustaining a non-life-threatening injury and he was taken to the Saint John Regional Hospital where he was treated and released.

“The Saint John Police considers incidents involving the use of force serious and we continue to hold our members to the highest standard of accountability in this respect. We are confident that SiRT will conduct a thorough, independent, and transparent investigation. We are committed to maintaining public trust and confidence,” stated Chief Robert Bruce in the media release.

The officers being investigated will remain on active duty pending the outcome of the SiRT investigation, police noted.

SiRT is an investigative agency, independent of the police, whose mandate is to investigate matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and domestic violence or other matters of significant public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer.