The Yukon RCMP is cooperating with an Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) investigation related to an incident in Whitehorse from April 8, 2023.
On April 8, 2023 at approximately 8:20pm, Whitehorse RCMP were called to assist Yukon Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for people who were reportedly intoxicated in downtown Whitehorse. Police attended resulting in the arrest of one of the people involved. After the arrest, police found that the person had an injury and immediately contacted Yukon EMS again for assessment.
The Yukon RCMP believes in processes that seek the facts and it is important that processes taken to assess the actions of all those involved, including the police, are fair, transparent, and defendable. This is why, given the seriousness of the matter, Yukon RCMP immediately advised the Government of Yukon Department of Justice who engaged ASIRT to investigate this incident as a result of injury to the affected person. ASIRT's mandate is to effectively, independently, and objectively investigate incidents involving police that have resulted in serious injury or death to any person, as well as serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct. ASIRT is the organization contracted by the Government of Yukon Department of Justice to investigate these types of incidents within the Yukon.
Independent of ASIRT's investigation, the Yukon RCMP's internal review process has been implemented to gather a full account of what took place during this incident. RCMP training, policy, police response, and the duty status of the members involved will be subject to review. The Yukon RCMP is fully cooperating with ASIRT and will not be commenting further on this incident.
All media inquiries about this incident should now be directed to ASIRT at 780-641-9099.