Labrador policewoman cops to abuse!
Police in Labrador have apologized to a woman who was held naked in a lockup for two days last winter, and have disciplined an officer for mistreating her.
An internal RCMP report has found that police did not follow procedure in a case involving Carol Ikkusek, 26, who was kept naked in a small lockup cell that had no mattress.
Ikkusek, an Innu resident of Nain on Labrador's northern coast, was brought into custody in Happy Valley-Goose Bay last February, and was waiting for a court appearance on charges of assaulting a police officer. (Now we know why they abused her!)
An internal RCMP report said Ikkusek threatened to use her clothing to harm herself, so Cpl. Edwina Tuttle intervened, taking Ikkusek to hospital for a medical assessment. A doctor there recommended that Ikkusek be admitted, however, the hospital's secure room was not available, so Tuttle took Ikkusek back to the lockup.
Ikkusek was stripped and left to sleep on a steel bench with no blanket. Ikkusek was given a blanket after 16 hours, but she remained naked for another day and a half. (Inside or not, we have to remember that this was winter in northern Labrador and global warming doesn't help much up there!)
Details of Ikkusek's treatment surfaced during sentencing.
Insp. Greg Bursey made an apology on Tuesday to Ikkusek, on behalf of the force's Labrador district. "I'm sorry she felt that she was mistreated in any way or put through any undue hardship, but certainly there was no intent," Bursey said. "I'm satisfied, within reason, that it shouldn't happen again."
Tuttle was disciplined for not following procedure. She still works with the RCMP in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Meanwhile, Boyd Rowe, chief executive officer of the regional health authority, says there's a need for more secure medical holding areas. "More and more, we are utilizing that particular secure room, and it has led us to give some thought to designating another space within the facility," Rowe said.
Nobody with the Ikkusek family could be reached to comment on the police report. (P.S. Even if they could reach them, they would be too afraid to file a complaint, let alone charge the cop with assaault!)
Your "on the beat" scribe;
Allan W Janssen
An internal RCMP report has found that police did not follow procedure in a case involving Carol Ikkusek, 26, who was kept naked in a small lockup cell that had no mattress.
Ikkusek, an Innu resident of Nain on Labrador's northern coast, was brought into custody in Happy Valley-Goose Bay last February, and was waiting for a court appearance on charges of assaulting a police officer. (Now we know why they abused her!)
An internal RCMP report said Ikkusek threatened to use her clothing to harm herself, so Cpl. Edwina Tuttle intervened, taking Ikkusek to hospital for a medical assessment. A doctor there recommended that Ikkusek be admitted, however, the hospital's secure room was not available, so Tuttle took Ikkusek back to the lockup.
Ikkusek was stripped and left to sleep on a steel bench with no blanket. Ikkusek was given a blanket after 16 hours, but she remained naked for another day and a half. (Inside or not, we have to remember that this was winter in northern Labrador and global warming doesn't help much up there!)
Details of Ikkusek's treatment surfaced during sentencing.
Insp. Greg Bursey made an apology on Tuesday to Ikkusek, on behalf of the force's Labrador district. "I'm sorry she felt that she was mistreated in any way or put through any undue hardship, but certainly there was no intent," Bursey said. "I'm satisfied, within reason, that it shouldn't happen again."
Tuttle was disciplined for not following procedure. She still works with the RCMP in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
Meanwhile, Boyd Rowe, chief executive officer of the regional health authority, says there's a need for more secure medical holding areas. "More and more, we are utilizing that particular secure room, and it has led us to give some thought to designating another space within the facility," Rowe said.
Nobody with the Ikkusek family could be reached to comment on the police report. (P.S. Even if they could reach them, they would be too afraid to file a complaint, let alone charge the cop with assaault!)
Your "on the beat" scribe;
Allan W Janssen
posted by Allan W Janssen | 1:42 p.m.
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