SIRT investigation clears police in death of man in custody

(Photo: Prince Albert Police Service)

A two-year investigation by Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has found no wrongdoing on the part of police in the death of a 40-year-old man in 2023 in Prince Albert.

Boden Umpherville died in hospital in Saskatoon on April 26, 2023, following a confrontation with Prince Albert police earlier that month.

According to Saskatchewan’s police watchdog, on April 1, 2023, police were trying to arrest Umpherville after a black Dodge Avenger he was in was reported stolen earlier that day and an altercation occurred.

“During that altercation, the vehicle was put into motion, colliding with a marked PAPS vehicle, and several intermediate weapons were used by police, including conducted energy weapons (CEWs), collapsible batons, and Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray,” SIRT said in its report released Friday.

According to SIRT, after Umpherville was arrested he was observed to be in medical distress and transported to hospital in serious condition where he died.

SIRT has concluded his death was the result of cardiac arrest brought on by cocaine and positional asphyxia which happens when a person’s body position prevents them from breathing.

SIRT says a conducted energy weapon was also identified as a possible but unlikely factor.