St. Albert RCMP were told teen arrested at park could have a disability: ASIRT

The Alberta police watchdog said Wednesday that officers were told a teen arrested in St. Albert earlier this month could have a severe developmental disability — when originally, officers said they only knew he could possibly be on drugs.

On Oct. 2, a 16-year-old boy with autism was playing on the Lacombe Playground near his grandparent’s house — an area he was familiar with, according to his family — when he was arrested around 5:30 p.m.

According to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), the St. Albert RCMP received a report that a “younger male” in his “early 20s” was behaving oddly.

The caller described him as someone who could have a severe developmental disability or possibly be on drugs, ASIRT said in a news release Wednesday afternoon.

Earlier information from St. Albert RCMP did not mention the fact that officers were told the person at the park could have a developmental disability, just that he was acting erratically and could be “impaired by drugs.”

Cpl. Troy Savinkoff, spokesperson for St. Albert RCMP, said Wednesday that because ASIRT is investigating, the RCMP is not able to comment further on the matter.

The watchdog will keep investigating and said no further information will be released.