Alberta police watchdog critical of RCMP officers pointing unloaded stun guns

The RCMP logo is seen on the shoulder of a superintendent during a news conference, Saturday, June 24, 2023 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Alberta's police watchdog says that while pointing an unloaded stun gun at a fellow employee might not be a crime, it is no joking matter.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team investigated a complaint from October 2019 at the Elk Point RCMP detachment east of Edmonton.

A civilian employee complained that on several occasions she was aware a stun gun had been pointed at her because she could see a red dot on her body.

One officer testified that the officers had pointed their stun guns at each other as “a joke at times,” but was it wasn't loaded with a cartridge so could not discharge.

The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service looked at the case but recommended against filing any charges.

ASIRT assistant executive director Matthew Block says no action will be taken, but that doesn't mean it was acceptable behaviour.

“A person can still be threatened,” he writes.

“There is evidence of misuse of conducted energy weapons in Elk Point detachment. Such matters are outside of the scope of ASIRT and are more properly dealt with by the RCMP internally.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2024.