Following a video that was released by a media outlet of a Indigenous woman who was shown to be knocked unconscious at the Thompson RCMP detachment by a community safety officer in 2018, the city has released a statement in response.

 

In the statement, the city says that though the altercation happened in January 2018, neither the offices of the Mayor or City Manager were informed of what occurred until seven months later when Manitoba Justice reached out to the city’s Fire and Public Safety Director at the time.

 

In turn, he reached out to the RCMP to get an update, which stated the CSO who punched the woman was cleared by RCMP’s Use of Force Expert at the time, and no disciplinary action was taken.

 

The city says a copy of the security footage was not provided to them by the RCMP, and the current administration is viewing parts of this footage for the first time. It adds that once the city receives a copy of the full video through the court process, it will review the footage to determine their next steps.

 

The statement says that since the incident, there have been changes to the CSO program that have been made.

 

That includes supervision of CSOs returning to a dedicated Public Safety Manager to ensure proper oversight and that mandated training is adhered to and the city being notified immediately by the RCMP when use-of-force incidents occur. Once notified, the City Manager, in consultation with the Public Safety Manager and HR, will conduct an investigation.

 

Additionally, the city states that since February of this year, it along with the province and 20 different community organizations have been working together to create an all-encompassing public safety strategy in collaboration with independent consultants Community Safety and Knowledge Alliance and representatives from education, social services, healthcare, addictions treatment, and Indigenous organizations. That includes the announcment of the new sobering centre in Thompson

 

Then-19-year-old Genesta Garson from Tataskweyak Cree Nation was taken to the Thompson RCMP detachment Jan. 6, 2018 by two CSOs due to her appearing intoxicated outside the Northern Inn.

 

In a video obtained by CBC, the two CSOs along with an RCMP officer were seen surrounding Garson as she took off clothing, and is seen being punched in the face by one of the CSOs before being dragged into a jail cell. She was then taken to hospital for her injuries

 

Garson has filed a lawsuit against the city and the RCMP, which seeks damages for her treatment by the hands of the officers involved in the incident, argues her rights were violated, and alleges she was discriminated against because she is Indigenous.

 

MKO’s Grand Chief Garrison Settee issued a statement in response to the video, saying that the RCMP had a role in protecting Garson, and the violence seen in the video is shocking and unacceptable.

 

Settee adds that MKO will address the incident, as they are the strongest advocates of the protection of women in Canada.