A Lethbridge police officer accused of misconduct after charges were laid against a high school student was found not guilty by the Law Enforcement Review Board Thursday.
Sgt. Kerry Cherpin was one of the officers who responded to a call at Winston Churchill High School in January 2013. The incident involved a 17-year-old showing acts of aggression towards other students, which resulted in a lockdown.
The teen’s father, who cannot be named to protect the teen’s identity under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, claimed officers laid charges against his son without conducting a reasonable investigation. He also claimed police did an interview with his son without a parent or lawyer present and didn’t take his son’s mental state under consideration.
President of the Lethbridge Police Association Jay McMillan wasn’t surprised with the board’s decision of not guilty.
“It’s a very important process for accountability and transparency and police are being held to a higher standard more than ever. We expect that and we welcome that,” he said.
The review board presiding officer said Cherpin handled the situation reasonably and none of the allegations had been proven.
It wasn’t the outcome the student’s father was hoping for.
“Obviously I’m disappointed,” he said. “I feel my son was incarcerated for an un-diagnosed mental illness; I had a problem with the process,” he said.
He said he won’t be pursuing further action as his son has since recovered and is doing well.
Nothing changes for Cherpin, who has continued to work with the Lethbridge Police Service since the allegations.
McMillan said now that the hearing is done, it will be business as usual for police.