After a 64-year-old man was found unresponsive in the back of a Surrey Police Service vehicle, the provincial police watchdog has been notified.
Surrey Police Service notified the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. after a medical emergency suffered by a man in SPS custody, a Monday (Dec.. 8) SPS release said.
On Saturday (Dec. 6), at around 9:30 p.m., a 64-year-old man was arrested at an incident involving an alleged assault, the release continued.
The man was transported to SPS cells and was found unresponsive in the back of a SPS police vehicle upon arrival.
He received medical attention from SPS officers, Surrey Fire Service firefighters, and BC Emergency Health Services paramedics, and was transported to hospital, where he remains under medical care.
SPS informed the IIO shortly after the incident occurred and the IIO asserted jurisdiction.
IIO confirmed it was investigating the incident with a release issued shortly after the SPS release, noting there are two factors that the IIO considers at the beginning of each investigation:
• If there has been an injury that meets the threshold of serious harm, as defined by the Police Act, or a death; and
• If there is a connection between the serious harm/death and officer or detention guard action or inaction.
If both conditions are met, the investigation will continue to examine all available evidence to determine what occurred, the IIO release shared.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief civilian director will consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred.