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VIDEO: Top cop calls video of Kelowna Mountie striking suspect 91Ƶconcerning91Ƶ

A video allegedly shows a Kelowna Mountie striking a man several times

The Kelowna RCMP91Ƶs top cop has called an officer91Ƶs alleged excessive use of force during a weekend arrest 91Ƶconcerning.91Ƶ

91ƵObviously in the short duration of the video, the action is concerning,91Ƶ said Supt. Brent Mundle while addressing the media on Tuesday, June 2.

The video he spoke of stems from a May 30 arrest in which Kelowna officers responded to a complaint from the public of a man who allegedly appeared intoxicated inside a vehicle in the 200-block of Bernard Avenue.

The 30-year-old man in the vehicle was uncooperative, according to police.

91ƵBecause of the difficulty in safely bringing the man under control, the officers requested a third member attend the scene,91Ƶ Mundle said.

91ƵWhen the third officer arrived, he observed that the man was still resisting arrest.

91ƵIn order to gain control of the situation, and for the safety of the officers, he was struck several times and was then taken to the ground and handcuffed.91Ƶ

Part of the incident was caught in a 12-second video, which Mundle said is one short moment out of the entire arrest process.

91ƵIt does not include what precipitated the situation where the officer felt the physical force seen in the video was necessary,91Ƶ he said.

91ƵIt is important when I review these matters that I look at the full incident and what happened prior and after so that I can fully understand before coming to a judgement.91Ƶ

The officer, who has been on the force for three years, is now the subject of an internal review.

Mundle said he will review the events prior to the use of force, as well as the moments after, before he can come to a conclusion.

Mundle confirmed RCMP officers are trained to use force if they deem the situation needs it, but he acknowledged the incident caught on the video is still concerning.

He said the current situation in the U.S. has also prompted them to look at the incident in a different light.

91ƵObviously, what we91Ƶre seeing south of the border is very disturbing and concerning. And certainly the actions91Ƶwhat occurred here has been looked at in a similar light by individuals in the community,91Ƶ he said.

91ƵIn policing, public confidence is very important to us. That91Ƶs why when this matter was brought to our attention, we91Ƶve been treating the matter very seriously91Ƶ

91ƵWe91Ƶve initiated the investigation and the processes that we have.91Ƶ

There is no timeline yet of how long the investigation will take.

Mundle said the officer91Ƶs duty status will be determined in the next coming days.

Anyone who witnessed the arrest is asked to call Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.



Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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