The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) has cleared police who failed to find a missing person in Lumby of any wrongdoing.
According to the report from the police watchdog, on Dec. 29 at 1 a.m., officers attended a home and conducted a foot search for the missing person for approximately 2.5 hours.
“A police dog was sent, but officers were unable to locate a starting point to begin tracking,” according to the IIO report.
“In consultation with a family member, officers left the immediate area in hopes the individual would return once the police presence was gone, as the inclement weather raised concerns about the missing person being outdoors on foot.”
The report said officers continued to search the broader area.
The missing person was found by a family member around 4 a.m., but paramedics were not able to save the individual, and they died.
After reviewing a statement from the family and RCMP records, the police watchdog determined that officers’ actions during the search were reasonable.