B.C. police oversight agency seeks witnesses after man injured by police dog in Saanich

A Saanich, B.C., police dog is pictured in an undated file photo. (Victoria/Saanich Police)

British Columbia’s police oversight agency is investigating after a man was injured by a police dog during an arrest in Saanich earlier this week.

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. says it is looking for witnesses to the altercation, which occurred at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 4500 block of Granville Avenue.

The Saanich Police Department told the IIO that its officers responded after multiple 911 callers reported that a man was acting erratically in the area, the agency said in a statement Friday.

“Police located the man and attempted to arrest him,” the statement said. “A police service dog was also used during the interaction and the man suffered injuries.”

The man was taken into police custody and then transported to hospital for treatment.

The IIO says it is now working to determine whether the man’s injuries meet the definition of “serious harm,” and, if so, whether there is a connection between the injuries and actions or inactions of police.

“Serious harm” is defined in the provincial Police Act as an injury that may result in death, disfigurement or loss of function of a limb or organ.

If those conditions are met, the agency’s chief civilian director will decide whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence occurred. If reasonable grounds are found, the director will forward a recommendation for criminal charges to the provincial prosecution service.

The IIO investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious harm or death in B.C., whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing by police.

Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the arrest or who has video evidence related to the incident to contact the IIO at 1-855-446-8477 or online through the iiobc.ca website.