Langley RCMP did nothing criminal in their dealings with woman who fractured her leg while intoxicated and in police custody in January 2024.

Police responded to several calls about a disturbance at a Langley City apartment building on Jan. 12 of last year and arrested the woman. Because of the injury, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) was called in. The IIO report on the incident was made public Thursday, Jan. 12, 2025.

"Reports included that people were arguing, and objects were being thrown," IIO chief civilian director Jessica Berglund said in her findings.

When interviewed by IIO investigators, officer one said that the woman was very intoxicated and reported 91裸聊视频渢here was a heavy odour of liquor91裸聊视频� coming from her as she talked to him. Officer one said the woman had bloodshot eyes, her speech did not make sense, and she was slurring her words. The officer described that the woman's motor function was affected and said that 91裸聊视频渟he was doing a lot of pointing, and it wasn91裸聊视频檛 controlled it was kind of like she was just flinging her arms.91裸聊视频�

The woman arrested said that she was not intoxicated.

Officer two said she was yelling and kept coming in and out of the hallway, as well as swearing, yelling and screaming.

The woman told officers on scene that she had been punched by someone and had called the police for assistance. The IIO investigation verified that she had called 911 that day. A review of the recorded call indicated that the woman was difficult to understand. In the call, she said the word 91裸聊视频渁ssault91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渏ust hit me in the head.91裸聊视频� She did not provide officers with further details of who hit her in the head once they arrived.

Police interviewed people in the people. A civilian witness reported that prior to the police's arrival, the woman had been banging on an apartment door and appeared intoxicated. Police also learned that the behaviour escalated when the woman insisted people in the building go drinking with her.

The woman said that someone came out and punched her when she was in the hallway because she was being loud. When interviewed by IIO investigators, she admitted she was 91裸聊视频済etting loud91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频測elling91裸聊视频� in the hallway and confirmed that she had been punched by someone.

Officer three tried to de-escalate the situation, according to Berglund's report.

Then the woman was told that she was under arrest by officer three for causing a disturbance, to which she responded 91裸聊视频渘o, I91裸聊视频檓 not arrested.91裸聊视频� When interviewed by IIO investigators, she confirmed that she was trying to run away from the officer by going into her bathroom.

Officer two said that he came into the room as the woman was on the ground. He assisted by holding her legs in order for her to be handcuffed, as the woman was struggling with officer three. 

A witness present during the arrest and the woman described the arrest process differently officer two. The woman said that she was being compliant by lying on the floor and that officer three 91裸聊视频減ounced91裸聊视频� on her by putting her knee on the woman's knee. The civilian witness said that the woman was not resisting, and that officer three was using force to keep her down and pushing her face into the ground. The woman said that the officers had difficulty handcuffing her and that they beat her up.

"Once in handcuffs, the officers stood the [woman] up," the IIO report said. "The [woman] limped while walking to the elevator with the officers, complaining of knee pain. The [woman] was transported to police cells. As she arrived, [officer three] opened the door of the police vehicle, and the [woman] fell to the ground while still in handcuffs, striking the left side of her body and head in the process. The [woman] did not recall this part of the evening."

Paramedics were called and recommended she receive additional medical assessment which she refused. She was lodged in cells and released later without charge.

The woman went to the hospital the following day where tests revealed a fractured tibial plateau in her leg.

Berglund said police must use some force to take a person into custody but the police actions were not criminal.

"I have determined that there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that the level of force used by [officer three] was excessive in
this case, given the evidence that the [woman] was resisting arrest," Berglund noted.

She added: "The exact timing of when the [woman] was injured could not be determined as there was more than one instance where the injury could have occurred."

The IIO did chastise the police for not being more careful to ensure the woman did not fall when exiting the police vehicle.

"However, that failure does not appear to be intentional, and it does not amount to a criminal offence," Berglund said.