Common assault charge withdrawn against 2 Saskatoon police constables

A common assault charge has been withdrawn against two Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) constables.

Constables Angela McEwan and Cailin Link were cleared of the charge after the pair agreed to “alternative measures,” otherwise known as mediation, in early December 2018. Both officers had previously pleaded not guilty to assaulting a man during a routine traffic stop on Nov. 7, 2017.

According to SPS, no injuries occurred during the arrest and the man later made a complaint to the department which then notified the Saskatchewan Public Complaints Commissions (PCC).

A formal investigation was conducted with oversight by the PCC, and in consultation with Crown prosecutors charges of common assault were recommended. Charges were laid on May 28, 2018.

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As of last May, Link and McEwan have been on administrative duties with SPS, pending the outcome of court proceedings.

Global News reached out to the department late Tuesday afternoon to check if the constables had been reinstated to regular duties. Officials with SPS said they were looking into the matter.

Brad Mitchell, the lawyer for both constables, said he couldn’t speak to the specifics of the mediation process since it’s a parallel system to the court. Once alternative measures satisfied all parties, the court, Crown and defence were notified and the charge was withdrawn.

As for what the constables had to agree to in order to remedy the situation is still unclear.

Mitchell would not speak to the specifics of this case but did provide some examples of alternative measures, saying it usually depends on the nature of the charge.

For an assault, it could be: a face-to-face meeting with the victim, letters of apology, community service hours, or donations to charities.

Mediation, however, can not be applied to everything and anything.

“It’s only available to limited offences and often times only certain offenders,” said Mitchell, who explained it was often used for people charged with simple possession of marijuana.