The Alberta Crown Prosecution Service has decided not to lay charges against the RCMP officers involved in the arrest of a 16-year-old boy with autism in St. Albert in October 2022. The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) found reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have been committed by the officers, but the Crown did not recommend charges be laid. The boy, who is non-verbal, was arrested at a playground after police received 911 calls about his erratic behavior or possible impairment. He attempted to harm himself while in custody and was taken to a hospital in Edmonton.
The ASIRT investigation included interviews with civilian witnesses and police officers who responded to the call, as well as the boy’s mother. Surveillance video from the area was also reviewed. The officers involved in the arrest mistook the youth for a person they recognized as a drug user in the area, based on his behavior and dilated pupils. It was later determined that the boy was not intoxicated, but a non-verbal youth with autism. Several civilian witnesses recognized that he could be neurodivergent, yet the officers proceeded with the arrest.
During the arrest, the youth was handcuffed and distressed, yelping, making loud sounds, and yelling erratically. He continued to be distressed and repeat words during the drive to the RCMP detachment, where he kicked the door and hit his head against the partition. His handcuffs were later removed when he was placed in a cell, where he continued to pace and pound his fists on the door. The report detailed that he hit his head on the cell door multiple times, prompting medical intervention. He was taken to the hospital with mild swelling on his head and redness on his wrists.
The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP is also investigating the arrest and detention of the youth. ASIRT found that the officers involved thought they were dealing with a person they recognized as a drug user in the area, but later found out that the individual was a non-verbal youth with autism. Despite some witnesses recognizing the youth as likely neurodivergent, the officers proceeded with the arrest. The youth’s distress and self-harm while in custody led to medical intervention at the RCMP detachment and his eventual transfer to the hospital.
Ultimately, the decision not to lay charges against the officers involved in the arrest of the youth with autism in St. Albert was made by the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service. The officers mistook the boy for someone else based on his behavior and appearance, leading to his arrest despite some witnesses recognizing his neurodivergent traits. The boy’s distress during the arrest and in custody resulted in medical intervention and his eventual transfer to the hospital. The investigation into the incident by ASIRT and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP will provide further insights into the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of the youth.
