The Lethbridge Police Association (LPA) is defending an officer involved in the 2013 arrest of a high school student ahead of a hearing ordered by the Alberta Law Enforcement Review Board (LERB).
In January 2013, police responded to a 911 call at Winston Churchill High School that a 17-year-old boy was showing acts of aggression towards other students prompting a lockdown.
The father of the young man claimed officers had laid charges against his son without conducting a reasonable investigation, did an interview with the teen without a parent present and did not take his son’s mental state under consideration when dealing with him.
On Thursday, the LPA responded stating the three officers involved in the call were cleared of wrongdoing in an earlier internal investigation.
The LERB has now ordered a review into whether there was any misconduct involving one of the officers, Sgt. Kerry Cherpin.
“I think the community expects us to respond decisively when violence towards students and staff occurs,” said Jay McMillan, president of LPA. “The real story is that police were acting to keep kids safe.”
McMillan says LPA welcomes scrutiny when it comes to officer conduct and is not surprised by the LERB review.
“This is a well grounded process for public accountability and civilian oversight into police, we understand we are susceptible to scrutiny and we absolutely welcome it.”
Cherpin’s hearing is expected to begin in early December.
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