Police officers' notes come under scrutiny at conduct hearing into P.E.I. man's death
CBC
Warning: This story deals with serious mental health concerns and suicide. Resources and supports can be found at the bottom of this story.
Missing details in reports by Charlottetown officers were at the heart of the third day of a police conduct hearing Wednesday in relation to Tyler Knockwood, a 34-year-old Indigenous man who took his own life at Province House in 2023.
The public hearing, believed to be a first for P.E.I., will attempt to determine whether six Charlottetown Police Services officers who interacted with Knockwood the day before his death were neglectful in their duties.
CBC News is not naming the police officers involved until adjudicators rule on their conduct.
Knockwood died in January 2023 at the historic seat of the P.E.I. Legislature in downtown Charlottetown, where he’d been part of the team working to restore the building.
Charlottetown police were called to his house on three separate occasions in the 24 hours before Knockwood took his own life. After the third visit, officers dropped him off downtown. Knockwood was found dead early the next morning.
Asha James, a lawyer representing Knockwood’s widow, Laura MacArthur, said in an interview with CBC News that the officers did not do a thorough investigation and failed to get statements from Knockwood's wife and other family members.
She also questioned why notes in the officers' final reports about their interactions with Knockwood were missing details that she would have expected to see.
“I'm talking about the specific questions that [the officer] asked, right? Like, do you have a plan to harm yourself … are you planning on harming someone else, are you are you thinking of committing suicide?” James said.
“None of those are set out in his … report.”
The first officer involved testified about going to Knockwood's house the day before his death, and said the "evidence was insufficient" to force the man to go to hospital.
The officer also said he asked Knockwood if he was at a risk of suicide or if he wanted to go to hospital. Knockwood said no.
The second officer who testified described Knockwood as "calm, cool and collected," and found nothing alarming about his behaviour. He said his impression was that Knockwood was tired and just wanted some space.
The officers said they often don't take notes at the scene, but do a report later at the station. James said those final reports were also missing essential information.
WARNING: This story discusses child sexual abuse material and contains graphic details of alleged sexual assault
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