Alberta's police oversight agency has launched a formal investigation into circumstances surrounding a serious dog bite injury sustained by a woman during an arrest by Edmonton police earlier this month.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) confirmed Friday that it is examining the conduct of Edmonton Police Service (EPS) officers involved in the Oct. 10 incident, which unfolded around 1 a.m. in the city's southeast end.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to ASIRT, three occupants of a vehicle were suspected of involvement in a serious crime. Police monitored the vehicle as it travelled away from downtown, but when officers initiated a traffic stop, the driver accelerated into oncoming traffic and collided with another vehicle.
"Following additional unsuccessful attempts by police to stop the vehicle, it left the road, rolled onto its side and came to rest near a line of trees in the area of 82 Street and Crystallina Drive," ASIRT stated in its official release.
At the crash scene, police arrested a man and a woman without incident. However, a third woman fled the vehicle into nearby wooded areas.
Serious Injury Sustained
When a police canine unit tracked and located the fleeing suspect, the dog bit the woman, inflicting injuries serious enough to require emergency hospital treatment via ambulance.
ASIRT indicated that its investigation remains in preliminary stages, with investigators withholding certain details to preserve the integrity of the ongoing examination. The agency has not yet released findings or determinations regarding the appropriateness of the police response.
Police dog deployments during arrests and pursuits remain a subject of public scrutiny across Canada, with oversight bodies regularly reviewing incidents to ensure protocols are followed and force is applied proportionately.
This report is based on information from the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team and Edmonton Police Service. For the original story, visit the Edmonton Journal.