SiRT Concludes Investigation into Death in Saint John Police Force Cells

The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) found no reasonable grounds to believe that members of the Saint John Police Force (“SJPF”) committed a criminal offence in connection with the tragic death of a man who died in police cells.

On December 14, 2023 police were called to a Saint John business where they removed an intoxicated male and transported him to the police station to be lodged into cells. The male was monitored in cells according to police policy. He went into medical distress, and officers performed first aid and CPR until emergency services arrived. When the paramedics attended, they took over care of the male, however the male was unable to be revived and died.

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

The SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest to be investigated that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

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