EPS also released during the meeting an image of the knife and surveillance video of a woman holding it before the officer arrived, following public protest and demands. The arrest was made last Thursday afternoon in the area of 100 Street and 106 Avenue. “This is how we train and expect our officers to respond to situations where a weapon is reported or observed. This officer did his job,” said Deputy Chief Devin Laforce. “Without the full context of the situation, viewing the video clip may be disturbing. However, the full circumstances of the incident deemed it a reasonable response by the officer.” The officer, whose name has not been released, was spotted on the streets of Chinatown and asked to respond to a “knife fight” in the street, police said. The officer arrived within “seconds,” which is what the council and the public want from officers, EPS Chief of Staff Justin Krickler added. The officer had reason to believe the woman was “wielding a knife” during an argument with another person, Laforce said, and the video, which shows two women in the middle of the street, supports that. Lafors said he was happy to stand by the officer and his actions and was glad no one was seriously injured. “The use of force is an unpleasant reality of policing, but it is required to gain control of a situation and prevent further danger to the individual, the public and the officer,” Laforce said. The deputy chief told reporters that the purchase of body and vehicle cameras for EPS officers is “an ongoing discussion” but no decision has yet been made. Police have not released the name of the woman involved because she has not been charged. She was intoxicated at the time of the push, police said, and was released after being given a meal. Several police commissioners questioned officers about the push, but none of them made it clear they felt it was wrong. “Indigenous women’s homelessness has tripled since pre-COVID. So we’re going to see more and more incidents unless we collectively plan how we can solve these complex problems,” said Police Commissioner Jodi Calahoo Stonehouse, who thanked the officers in the room for their service. Nina Laderoute, a native who attended the meeting out of concern for the officer’s actions, said the new video did not change her stance that he acted with more force than was necessary. “I would want someone to stop me from hurting someone, I wouldn’t want them to attack me when they think I might hurt someone, before I jump or make any physical movement to hurt,” he told reporters afterward. the meeting. Laderoute was among several community members who demonstrated at EPS headquarters. At a rally on Sunday some called the push “vulgar behaviour”. “She’s lucky she never hit her head and died right there on the sidewalk,” said Judith Gale with the Bear Clan Beaver Hills House. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Diego Romero and Joe Scarpelli
