KAWARTHA LAKES-The annual Use of Force report by the Kawartha Lakes Police Service shows officers drew their guns seven times over the last year and used a taser ten times.
In Ontario, all police officers are required* to submit a “Use of Force Report” in any of the following circumstances:
- Anytime a member draws a handgun in the presence of the public
- Anytime a member discharges a firearm in the course of their duties
- When a weapon, other than a firearm, is used on a member of the public**
- When any force is used that results in an injury that requires medical attention
The majority of incidents where a handgun was drawn or a firearm pointed involved a high-risk drug investigation or weapons call according to police. In 2018 there were two occasions when an officer drew their firearm to effect the arrest of a person armed with a knife, and on one occasion the officer drew their firearm to arrest a person who had displayed what was believed to be a handgun while driving. Police say during this arrest, a replica pellet pistol was seized.
This is down slightly from 2017 when police drew their guns eight times. The majority of incidents where a handgun was drawn or a firearm pointed involved a high-risk drug investigation or weapons call.
Officers discharged a firearm 14 times in 2018 but police say each of these incidents was for the purpose of humanely destroying an injured animal. This is a sharp increase form 2017 when officers used a firearm twice to humanely destroy an animal.
Officers drew a Conducted Electrical Weapon (CEW) also known as a taser, 10 times in 2018. In 7 of those incidents, the weapon was deployed. In each case, officers encountered violent resistance as they attempted to apprehend an individual and the CEW was deployed to gain control of that person. In one of these incidents, the use of the CEW assisted in arresting a person armed with a knife. In 2017 officers drew a taser 8 times.
A Use of Force report solely for the use of “Empty Hand Techniques” is only required if the subject involved receives an injury that requires medical attention according to police. Empty Hand Techniques are often used before or in concert with other force options; this was the case in all three incidents in 2018. The 2018 incidents involving empty hand technique did not result in any injuries. This is up from last years when empty hand techniques were used only once.
There were no incidents involving Aerosol weapons as a use of force option in 2018 and it was used once in 2017.
There were seven public complaints against City of Kawartha Lakes Police officers in 2018, on par with 2017. Three complaints were for neglect of duty with one being withdrawn by the OIPRD and two screened out and no further action taken.
The Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) is responsible for the intake of all public complaints against the police in Ontario. Upon receipt of a public complaint, the OIPRD has the following options:
- The complaint may be “screened out” and no further action taken*
- The complaint may be referred back to the involved Police Service for investigation
- Another Police Service may be directed to conduct the investigation
- The OIPRD may conduct their own investigation
There were three complaints of excessive use of force in 2018. In one case an investigation was ordered and the complaint was found to be unsubstantiated. The other two are pending investigation.
