Watchdog probing ‘serious harm’ of man in Nanaimo RCMP custody

British Columbia’s civilian police watchdog is investigating how a man suffered “serious harm” while in the custody of the Nanaimo RCMP.

Nanaimo RCMP said a man in custody “collapsed unexpectedly inside a police cell” shortly before noon on Sunday, Dec. 10, according to a media release from the Independent Investigations Office.

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He was rushed to hospital where it was determined he was seriously hurt.

The IIO said it was notified of the incident the same day, and is probing the sequence of events leading up to the time the man was hurt.

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The investigation will seek to determine the extent of his injuries and whether there was any police involvement.

The IIO’s mandate is to investigate all cases of death or serious harm involving police contact, regardless of whether there is any allegation of police wrongdoing.