An RCMP officer has been charged with assault causing bodily harm following an investigation into an incident at the Gleichen detachment that occurred nearly 12 months ago.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) launched an investigation after allegations emerged that a woman was assaulted while being placed in custody on October 30, 2025. The woman had been arrested earlier that evening on a mischief charge.
The investigation centred on allegations of excessive force during the booking process. After reviewing the evidence gathered, ASIRT determined there were sufficient grounds to pursue criminal charges against the officer.
"The investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe that an offence had been committed," according to a statement from the Government of Alberta.
Const. Marie-Helene Dupere was arrested on October 22 and formally charged with assault causing bodily harm. She was released from custody pending her court appearance.
The officer is scheduled to appear before the Alberta Court of Justice at Siksika Nation on November 26 to address the charges. The decision to charge Dupere followed a comprehensive review by ASIRT executive director Matthew Block, who consulted with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service before moving forward with the case.
The 11-month timeline between the incident and the charge reflects the thorough investigative process overseen by the provincial agency responsible for examining serious incidents involving RCMP officers.
This article is based on reporting from the Calgary Herald.