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Saskatchewan’s police oversight body has decided not to pursue criminal charges against an RCMP officer who broke a woman’s arm while arresting her outside a hospital in Melfort. The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) concluded that the officer used excessive force during the incident, yet Public Prosecutions determined the case could not meet the legal standard required for a conviction.
What Happened Outside Melfort Hospital
The incident took place on July 2, 2025. A 38-year-old woman left Melfort Hospital against medical advice following a mental health stay. Hospital staff spotted her wandering through the parking lot in a hospital gown and called police that afternoon.
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Two Melfort RCMP officers responded to the call. One officer informed the woman she was being taken into custody under the Mental Health Services Act. A confrontation quickly followed. The situation escalated after the woman knocked the officer’s hat off while attempting to flee.
The struggle moved to the ground. During that struggle, the officer applied force to the woman, resulting in a fractured right humerus. SIRT’s investigative summary described the injury as a spiral distal fracture of the right humeral shaft. Medical records also showed the woman tested positive for cocaine and methamphetamine upon her hospital admission.
SIRT Finds Force Was Excessive
SIRT investigators interviewed both responding officers, a hospital staff member who called police, the person who had brought the woman to the hospital, a patient who witnessed the incident, and the woman herself. The team also reviewed her medical records with her consent.
While SIRT acknowledged the officer had legal grounds to arrest the woman, it concluded the level of force went beyond what the law permits. The watchdog pointed to two key factors. First, the woman had twice offered her hand, signalling a reduction in resistance. Second, investigators noted the officer displayed visible anger through his words and demeanour during the encounter.
“Both the level of force and the motivation underlying the application of force appear to fall outside the legal protections provided to police,” SIRT stated in its report.
Why No Charges Were Laid
Despite SIRT’s findings, Saskatchewan’s justice ministry confirmed that Public Prosecutions declined to authorize charges against the officer. In a statement to Global News, the ministry explained that prosecutors apply a higher legal threshold than simply having reasonable grounds to believe an offence occurred.
Instead, prosecutors must determine there is a reasonable likelihood of conviction and that pursuing the case serves the public interest. In this instance, Public Prosecutions concluded neither condition was met. As a result, the RCMP officer avoided criminal charges over the arrest that left the woman with a broken arm.
The decision highlights the gap that can exist between a watchdog finding of excessive force and the legal standard required to bring a case to court. SIRT’s role is to investigate serious incidents involving police, but the final decision on charges rests with Public Prosecutions.
