Teen charged with assaulting off-duty P.E.I. RCMP officer who suspected impairment
Police say the officer was trying to detain the youth for suspected impaired driving
A 15-year-old has been charged with assaulting an officer after an off-duty member of the P.E.I. RCMP attempted to detain them for suspected impaired driving, police say.
In a news release, RCMP said the off-duty officer was in line at a gas station on the Trans-Canada Highway in New Haven on April 1 at around 6:30 p.m. when they noticed the person in front of them smelled of alcohol.
The officer watched the person get into the driver's seat of a vehicle, so they approached and identified themselves as a police officer.
During the conversation, police said the suspect repeatedly shoved the officer and tried to return to the vehicle. The officer called 911 for assistance and again tried to detain the person.
The news release says the off-duty officer controlled and restrained the person on the ground. Witnesses tried to intervene, and the officer identified themselves as a member of the P.E.I. RCMP at least twice, asking bystanders not to interfere.
Other officers then arrived on scene and were able to take the person into custody. The accused can't be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police said video footage from RCMP officers' body cameras, video from the gas station and footage shared by witnesses are being used as part of the ongoing investigation.
P.E.I. RCMP rolled out body-worn cameras to officers last November. The cameras are worn at the centre of an officer's vest and, according to RCMP policy, have to be on and recording during service calls, ongoing crimes and investigations, mental health calls and protest response.
"Unlike other professions, police officers, even when off-duty, are required to intervene in a situation to prevent a criminal offence from occurring, or to stop a criminal offence from continuing," P.E.I. RCMP Chief Supt. Kevin Lewis is quoted as saying in the new release.
"Our officer believed an offence was about to be committed and stepped in to ensure the public and the individual were safe, which is exactly what I would expect any police officer to do in the same situation. Great work by this officer in keeping our communities safe, even when off-duty."
People in this province have to be at least 16 years old to apply for a driving permit.