According to police, a citizen reported that two women were going to fight, one of whom was armed with a knife. The officer arrived at the scene and observed a woman holding a knife. “The officer ordered the woman to drop the knife, but she refused, stating that she belonged to a criminal gang and fled into an area where bystanders were,” said EPS spokeswoman Cheryl Voordenhout. “The officer considered his use of force options given that the suspect was armed and determined that pushing her to the ground would require the least amount of force to allow him to safely arrest the suspect.” After reviewing the incident, EPS says there are no grounds for an investigation by the Professional Standards branch. The 12-second video does not show what led up to the incident. Zooming in on the video, an object falls from the woman’s hand when she is pushed.
Police say they found a knife at the scene. Judith Gale, the Bear Clan Beaver Hills House organizer, posted the video on social media. He says he received it from someone who wished to remain anonymous for fear of police repercussions. “They felt it would be a target for EPS down the road, so they sent it to me and asked if I would do it.” He says he knows the woman in the video but doesn’t know where the woman is or what her condition is. “They put her in the vehicle and we don’t know if she is in custody or if they let her go around the block. I have no idea.” Gail says she plans to file a formal complaint about the incident and wants the officer to retire because she says seeing him in the future will be scary for others who know about the incident. “Every time they see that face, they’ll know he’s a violent man. And it will trigger them and make them feel insecure.” “Make a public complaint online. And the more public complaints about this gentleman, maybe they’ll get him off that beat and off the street. Sgt. Mike Elliott, president of the Edmonton Police Association, says the officer used the best option available to him at the time. “Policing and the use of force is sometimes ugly. And the intention is not to hurt anybody, the intention is to stop the situation as quickly as possible,” he told CTV News Edmonton. EPS reports that the woman was charged with possession of a dangerous weapon and has now been released without injury. With files by Jeremy Thompson of CTV News Edmonton.
