Ottawa, ON — Following is a statement from Brian Sauvé, President of the National Police Federation, in response to recent media coverage of an incident involving RCMP Members at Winnipeg International Airport in August 2019.
“We are aware of media and public speculation regarding an assault-related arrest made by two of our Members at Winnipeg International Airport on August 1, 2019.
While we understand that an edited video clip that Nathan Lasuik has chosen to release publicly is disturbing to watch, it is important to keep in mind that this is just a small portion of a much longer incident in which Mr. Lasuik attacked a random stranger while intoxicated – which triggered the police response – and then repeatedly punched, kicked and attempted to headbutt RCMP Members who responded to the disturbance by attempting to de-escalate the situation. Mr. Lasuik is presently on trial for assault related charges stemming from this incident.
Our Members have a responsibility to restrain violent offenders to protect themselves and the public from injury, or worse. Following his arrest, while being transported to hospital for treatment related to intoxication and mental health issues, Mr. Lasuik was physically aggressive with healthcare workers and required restraining to avoid further injury to himself and others.
Policing in Canada is highly regulated with multiple levels of oversight, and we welcome that expertise. It is not fair or accurate for the media or public to speculate on the appropriateness of a specific arrest based on brief and sensational footage. Such decisions should be left to regulators and experts.
As this is an ongoing court case, we cannot provide any further details.”
About the National Police Federation:
The National Police Federation (NPF) was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. The NPF is the largest police labour relations organization in Canada; the second largest in North America and is the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.
The NPF is focused on improving public safety in Canada by focusing on increasing resources, equipment, training, and other supports for our Members who have been under-funded for far too long. Better resourcing and supports for the RCMP will enhance community safety and livability in the communities we serve, large and small, across Canada.
For more information: https://npf-fpn.com/
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Media contact:
Fabrice de Dongo
Manager, Media Relations
[email protected]
(647) 274-7118