Watch the video above: Saskatoon police officer found not guilty of assault
SASKATOON – A Saskatoon police officer accused of assaulting a teenager was found not guilty on Friday, after a judge found the officer’s use of force was justified.
Constable Luke St. Onge was cleared on charges of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm.
The constable admitted to striking and pepper-spraying a 14-year-old boy in 2012.
The night the incident happened, St.Onge was leaving an apartment in the Pleasant Hill neighbourhood while on patrol, when an unknown teen sprayed him with bear mace. St.Onge notified officers in the area and gave a description of the suspect.
Two teens were then spotted – one matched the description. The teen took off and was tackled by an officer.
St. Onge admitted to punching the teen three to five times in the head and using pepper spray when he arrived on scene. He said the teen’s arm was hidden and the officers had reason to believe the 14-year-old was carrying a weapon.
As it turns out, the 14-year-old suspect was not the person who bear-sprayed St.Onge.
In his verdict, Judge Dan O’Hanlon accepted St.Onge’s evidence that he was following police protocol.
“He’s very happy with the result, we’re very happy, and he’s able to move forward and put this behind him,” said Brad Mitchell, Assistant Defence Counsel.
St. Onge has been suspended with pay since November 2012.
“As you can imagine, it’s been very difficult. He’s had this hanging over his head, he hasn’t been working. It’s been psychologically, emotionally quite difficult for him,” said Mitchell.
Police protocol calls for force if a suspect is resisting arrest.
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