Vancouver cop charged over 2019 arrest that left man seriously injured
A police constable who allegedly injured a man during an arrest in East Vancouver nearly three years ago has been charged with assault.
The B.C. Prosecution Service announced the single count against Simrit Roycombough on Thursday, saying in a news release that the charge was approved by "an experienced Crown counsel with no prior or current connection with the officer."
The allegations against Roycombough were investigated by the province's police watchdog, the Independent Investigations Office, which delivered a report to prosecutors back in January 2021.
Few details about the incident have been released to the public, but the IIO previously said the victim reported that he’d been walking with a friend near Strathcona Park in June 2019 when he had an interaction with a uniformed officer in an unmarked SUV.
That interaction allegedly ended with the officer tackling the man to the ground and arresting him, leaving him with serious injuries, the nature of which have not been disclosed.
The IIO said the victim was initially taken to jail before he was assessed and transported to hospital.
While the alleged incident took place on June 9, the IIO did not begin investigating until weeks later, after the injured man came forward.
B.C. police agencies have a duty to notify the watchdog of any officer-involved incidents that result in serious injury or death, but IIO spokesperson Rebecca Whalen told CTV News the severity of an arrestee’s injuries is not always immediately apparent.
“Such was the case in this incident,” Whalen said in an email. "I can confirm that the failure to notify the IIO was not deemed unreasonable.”
Back in 2016, Roycombough received a commendation from the Vancouver Police Department's chief constable, Adam Palmer, for his part in "doggedly pursuing a dangerous suspect, despite serious injury and life-threatening danger."
According to the commendation, Roycombough and two other officers helped apprehend a man who had allegedly stabbed an employee in a Surrey grocery store, then hopped into a parked car and forced the driver to help him escape at knifepoint.
It's unclear whether the constable remains on active duty. CTV News has reached out to Vancouver police for more information.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Second Cup closes Montreal franchise over hateful incident
Second Cup Café has closed two of its franchise locations in Montreal following allegations of hateful remarks and gestures made by the franchisee in a video that was widely circulated online during a pro-Palestinian protest.
Winnipeg police shoot, kill suspect after officer stabbed in the throat
A Winnipeg Police Service officer is recovering after he was stabbed in the throat Sunday evening.
Legal arguments being heard in London, Ont. court in sex assault case of five hockey players
Lawyers for the players have said their clients plan to defend themselves against the allegations, and all five are expected to plead not guilty.
Cargo ship runs aground in St. Lawrence River near Morrisburg, Ont.
A large cargo ship remains stuck in the St. Lawrence River after running aground on Saturday afternoon.
opinion Beware the hidden costs of home ownership in Canada
While buying a home is often touted as a way to save on your cost of living, the true cost of ownership goes beyond your monthly mortgage. Personal finance contributor Christopher LIew breaks down some of the less obvious financial obligations of home ownership.
Should sex abuse evidence set the Menendez brothers free? A judge will decide
A judge will decide Monday whether new evidence warrants a re-examination of the convictions of Erik and Lyle Menendez in the shotgun murders of their parents in their Beverly Hills home more than 30 years ago.
'Like climbing Mount Everest:' Inside the gruelling world of the Chess World Championship
The Chess World Championship begins in Singapore on Monday with China's Ding Liren seeking to defend his title against India's Gukesh Dommaraju, better known as Gukesh D, who is still just 18 years old and could become the youngest ever person to be crowned world champion.
Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales battle floodwaters after weekend storm
Hundreds of homeowners in England and Wales were battling floodwaters Monday morning after the second major storm of the winter brought widespread disruption to the U.K.
DHL cargo plane crashes and skids into a house in Lithuania, killing Spanish crew member
A DHL cargo plane crashed on approach to an airport in Lithuania's capital and skidded into a house Monday morning, killing a Spanish crew member but not harming anyone on the ground. The cause of the accident is under investigation.