Edmonton police officer won’t face assault charge after punching man: ASIRT

Alberta’s police watchdog says an officer who punched a man in the head and broke his jaw will not be charged with a criminal offence.

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team says the 65-year-old man appeared to be drunk and was interfering with paramedics treating a patient at an Edmonton hotel last March.

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ASIRT says an officer asked the man to return to his room and, when the man didn’t comply, pushed him in the direction of the room.

The officer believed the man was going to hit him, so the officer punched the man and his head struck a cement wall, knocking him unconscious.

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The man required multiple surgeries to repair his jaw.

ASIRT says it forwarded its investigation to a Crown prosecutor, who determined there was not enough evidence for a conviction.