This is a screenshot of a video that shows a July 18 arrest in Salluit where officers appear to pull a woman from a car and drop her onto the ground. (Photo from Facebook/Padli Illisituk)
Investigation opened into circumstances of Salluit arrest
Woman seen dragged from car by Nunavik Police Service officers in online video
Quebec’s police watchdog has launched an investigation of a Salluit arrest that recently went viral on social media.
The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes announced the investigation Wednesday in a news release.
A video surfaced online July 18 showing Nunavik Police Service officers driving their vehicle in front of a moving car, while braking to slow it down. But the other vehicle ultimately crashed into a house.
Another video appears to show officers pulling a woman from that vehicle and dropping her to the ground.
The officers were responding to call about a 24-year-old woman suspected of driving while impaired, said Nunavik Police Service deputy Chief Shaun Longstreet. The woman was seen driving erratically, he added.
“Officers responded immediately to the call,” Longstreet said in an email to Nunatsiaq News last week. “Upon locating the vehicle, they observed the driver exhibiting erratic and dangerous driving behaviour, and [the driver] attempted to evade the police.”
At the time, Longstreet said officers intercepted the vehicle and a female suspect was arrested without incident or injury.
The driver has since been charged with dangerous operation of a vehicle, impaired driving, fleeing from a police officer, motor vehicle theft, assaulting a police officer with a weapon or causing bodily harm, and resisting arrest, according to court documents.
Longstreet confirmed the independent investigation bureau opened a file on the case.
The bureau investigates all criminal allegations involving police where the victim or plaintiff is First Nations or Inuit, the bureau said in French in an announcement about the investigation.
Bureau investigators are looking for witness accounts of the police intervention or videos of the event. They asked anyone who witnessed the event to contact them.
They can be reached through Quebec’s independent investigation bureau website.
“said Nunavut Police Service deputy Chief Shaun Longstreet”
should read NUNAVIK (?) Police service?
Oh She was badly hurt when thrown on the ground head first, can tell by her legs shaking violently.
BEI always almost sides with the Police force they’re investigating
Am i main witness police told big lies to the news this is madness
Don’t worry, investigators will honour all codes of conduct🧐*