Chebat Says Police Arrest Strategy Needs Review

The chokehold incident in Unitedville continues to draw strong reactions. The confrontation was captured on video and has sparked a public debate about the balance officers must strike when carrying out an arrest. While some argue that officers are often forced to make split second decisions when faced with resistance, others say it is a clear use of excessive force. So, we took the issue to the minister who oversees the police, National Security Minister Michel Chebat. Here is his reaction.

 

Michel Chebat, Minister of National Security

“A very unfortunate incident, I think. It makes the police look as if though the police are the bad men, when in most circumstances they are trying to arrest the bad men. I think, um, police strategy in terms of arrest needs to be reviewed, and continuous training of our policemen and women would definitely be necessary.”

 

Shane Williams

“And your reaction to there is also a segment of the population who feels that the officer was right to do that when someone is strongly resisting arrest?”

 

Michel Chebat

“Well, you know our men and women of the police department are out there risking their lives day and night, right? And they are the ones who are experiencing the circumstance at the moment, and we would hope that they use their best judgment to be able to get their work done and to protect themselves and actually the citizens in the process, right? So we have to be able to trust them. I think we have to train them so that when they meet these circumstances, they know what the appropriate reaction is. I think what they have to keep at the forefront of their mind is proportionality. You have to react in reference to the amount of danger and the circumstances you’re facing.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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