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Alberta’s police watchdog says there is no evidence death of a man in a CPS detention cell several hours after his arrest was provoked by police officers.

On October 18, Calgary police were called to a “disturbance” at a fast food restaurant located at 5222 130th Ave. SE, where the responding officer “observed a male acting erratically,” reads an Oct. 25 news release from the serious incident in Alberta. Intervention Team (ASIRT).

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The officer got out of his vehicle and the man began approaching him, yelling that another officer had already told him he was free to go, ASIRT said.

“After a brief struggle, the handcuffs were removed and the man was taken into custody,” ASIRT said, while also noting that a pat-down search of the man was conducted, with nothing found. ‘worrying has been found.

The man was also examined by emergency services on site and obtained a medical certificate.

A secondary search was conducted on the man after his arrival at the CPS Arrest Processing Section (APS).

“During this search, a small baggie containing a green substance suspected to be heroin or fentanyl was located,” ASIRT said.

The police watchdog also says the man was the subject of arrest warrants, including for drug possession. He was also subjected to a strip search, during which nothing else was found.

While speaking with an APS paramedic, the man “indicated he had used methamphetamine and fentanyl within the last six hours.”

Nothing worrying was noted by paramedics and the man was placed in a cell around 8:30 a.m.

An ASIRT review of cell logs was able to confirm that security checks were carried out on the man at “regular intervals, in accordance with CPS policy”.

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The cells use a key card system, which requires the person conducting surveillance to swipe a keypad outside of them, according to ASIRT.

Reviewing CCTV footage from the cell, ASIRT detailed several sightings before the man’s death.

At approximately 3:44 p.m., the man sat on the toilet and was seen reaching between his legs, appearing to retrieve something, then immediately putting his hand to his mouth.

“He then flushes the toilet and leaves the toilet to lie down on the bench.”

At 4:33 p.m., the man appeared to be having difficulty breathing as his throat was “rising and falling in exaggerated movements.”

Two minutes later, the man appeared to lose consciousness.

At 4:36 p.m., two CPS officers entered the cell and performed a sternum massage (to test the responsiveness of an unconscious person). The man did not respond.

“The man is moved to the ground, further sternum rubs are performed, again with no response observed,” ASIRT said. “The APS doctor enters the cell, and he too gets no response from the man. The doctor checks the pulse, then leaves the cell.

At 4:37 p.m., a CPS officer, who was previously a paramedic, began CPR. Two minutes later, the APS doctor returned with medical equipment.

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“An automated external defibrillator (was) applied and the man (received) oxygen.”

EMS arrived on scene at 4:52 p.m. and continued medical treatment of the man, but at 5:31 p.m. EMS stopped treatment and the man was pronounced deceased .

An autopsy of the man performed Oct. 21 revealed no obvious cause of death and “the medical examiner is awaiting additional toxicology testing and other information” to determine the cause of death.

The police watchdog said: “There is no evidence that any officer caused or contributed to his death. Furthermore, all evidence confirms that during his detention the man was properly cared for.

No agent has been named as an agent involved in this investigation and the ASIRT investigation is closed. read the press release.

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