No Charges Against HRP Officers

The province's independent Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has concluded its investigation regarding an allegation of assault made against officers with the Halifax Regional Police (HRP) in September 2021.

In the early morning hours of August 27, 2021, officers responded to a call of a domestic dispute at an apartment in Dartmouth, NS. When two male officers entered the apartment, they could hear a female, the Affected Party (AP), screaming profanities from behind a closed bedroom door and uttering a threat to cause harm to her boyfriend. The officers entered the bedroom, separated the couple, and removed the boyfriend from the bedroom. The AP was partially dressed.

The officers noted that the AP had bruising to her left eye and neck, as well as a bloodied scratch behind her left ear. The officers were informed that the AP had been in a physical altercation with a person other than her boyfriend earlier that day.

The officers asked the AP multiple times to get dressed, but she refused to do so. While waiting for female officers, the Subject Officers (SOs) to arrive, the AP called 911 and reported that the male officers were attempting to rape her. When the SOs arrived, they too asked the AP to put on clothing, but she refused and struggled with them when they attempted to put a dress on her. The AP was out of control and continued screaming and cursing at all of the officers.

The AP was arrested and removed from the building. During the transport to HRP cells, the AP became more relaxed and calmer. When one of the SOs asked her if she was hurt or required a paramedic, the AP replied, “oh no”.

The investigation determined that the AP had the existing visible bruising to her eye and neck and scratch behind her ear when first seen by police. The bruising depicted in the photos provided by the AP could not have been visible to the officers and noted by them at the time of their interaction with the AP. The AP did not complain about being hurt or injured nor did she indicate that she was when asked by the SO. 

Based on these findings, no charges will be laid against any of the officers.   

The full report is available at http://sirt.novascotia.ca.

SIRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. Investigations are under the direction and control of the independent civilian director who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid after the conclusion of an investigation.

Media Contact:

Felix Cacchione

Director

902-718-9707