Nanaimo RCMP officers were cleared of using excessive force and breaching policy by using a spit hood when apprehending a Nanaimo mother. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

bloody incident

Police cleared by IIO in violent mental health arrest of Nanaimo mother

Feb 3, 2021 | 1:22 PM

NANAIMO — Police officers won’t be charged for using force and a spit hood when apprehending a violent Nanaimo mother from her home.

The report from the Independent Investigations Office published on Wednesday, Feb. 3 said the officers used “necessary and reasonable force” to restrain the mother, especially after she resisted and tried to punch officers.

The IIO said the mother, who is a personal fitness trainer and taller than the two main officers involved, suffered a punch to the nose after she’d wrestled officers to the ground.

Her nose and several teeth were broken in the May 26, 2020 incident.

The IIO found the violence used by officers when initially securing her was justifiable given her high level of resistance.

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“The interaction that caused her injuries was precipitated by inexplicable verbal and physical resistance. A single measured strike to the face was justifiable, necessary and proportionate.”

However, the IIO said greater questions surrounded the use of a spit hood, which was placed on the mother after the punch to the face.

A spit hood isn’t supposed to be used if the subject is bleeding from the mouth or nose, as it can cause them to choke or stop breathing.

“Audio from the video evidence shows (the woman) heard to be almost constantly talking, shouting or screaming. Her ability to breathe and communicate was not impacted by the hood.”

The IIO found the use of the spit hood was “at most a technical breach of the policy.”

The mother was taken to hospital for observation.

Of the two officers directly involved, one did not speak to the IIO while the other provided notes from the scene.

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