The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba (IIU) says that an RCMP dog handler did nothing wrong when their dog bit two people during an arrest last summer.

On August 13, 2020, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) advised the IIU of an incident that occurred on Sandy Bay First Nation where two individuals needed medical treatment after being bitten by a police service dog during the execution of a search warrant.

RCMP and Manitoba First Nations Police (MFNP) officers were responding to a tip that a suspect was trafficking methamphetamine from a camper located on Sandy Bay First Nation, the IIU says. Several people, who police believed could be armed, fled the scene, running into dense bush when police arrived.

"The police service dog and its handler apprehended two of the suspects, and during the course of their arrests, the two individuals were bitten by the police service dog. Lacerations from the dog bites required medical treatment at Portage General Hospital, and one of the suspects required surgery."

The lacerations caused by the dog bites and hospitalization of the suspect, both meet the definition of a serious injury as defined in IIU. Investigators reviewed a number of police and medical reports, listened to radio transmission, and looked at drone video taken of the execution of the warrant. They also spoke with one of the suspects, but was unable to locate a second suspect.

"Based on the evidence, review of drone footage, suspect and civilian witness interviews and the statement from the subject officer it was determined that the subject officer used appropriate, measured, and justified force in the deployment and handling of the police service dog," the IIU report says. "There are no grounds to justify the laying of any criminal code or other offence charges against the subject officer."

The IIU says it now considers the matter closed.