A watchdog has cleared police of wrongdoing after an arrest attempt ended with a suspect jumping from a second-storey window in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside over the summer. The Independent Investigations Office said the suspect was wanted on outstanding warrants when police went to arrest him at a residential building on Abbott Street on the morning of July 28. “Police located the man inside the building, but at one point he jumped from a window on the second floor, onto the street,” the IIO said in a news release Monday. “He suffered injuries and was taken to the hospital for assessment and treatment.” The IIO’s chief civilian director has since reviewed evidence including body-worn camera video and determined “there is no connection between police actions or inactions and the man’s injuries,” the watchdog said. “There was no physical contact between the man and officers,” the IIO added. The Vancouver Police Department did not notify the IIO about what happened for nearly two months, despite being required to do so immediately any time someone is killed or seriously hurt during an officer-involved incident. That delay was part of the watchdog’s investigation, and was ultimately determined to be caused by “a VPD communication issue.” “The incident was initially only reported internally at the VPD, and not to the IIO, and there was lack of clarity about the level of harm sustained by the affected person,” the IIO said. “When the VPD later became aware the AP’s injuries appeared more serious in nature, the IIO was notified.” The watchdog reminded police agencies to reach out “if they are ever unsure about potentially referring an incident,” and said the issue has been addressed with “VPD senior management.” Vancouver police previously told CTV News members are not required to check up on hospitalized suspects to confirm the extent of their injuries—though the department’s policy mandates that police notify the IIO about any injury that requires “emergency medical care” and “transfer to hospital.”
