SIRT called in after RCMP pursuit ends in vehicle rollover

Saskatchewan’s Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) is investigating after an RCMP pursuit ended with a vehicle rolling on the Moosomin First Nation.

In a media release Tuesday, the RCMP said an officer from the Battlefords detachment tried to stop a car at about 7:15 a.m., on a grid road on the Moosomin First Nation.

“The officer activated their emergency lights and followed the car, but the car did not stop and continued at a high rate of speed before coming to an abrupt stop in a ditch,” the Mounties’ release said. “The officer immediately requested assistance from EMS and STARS air ambulance. The officer proceeded to assist the occupants of the vehicle.”

The RCMP said the four people were taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Mounties then contacted SIRT to look into the officer’s interaction with the vehicle and its occupants.

According to a subsequent release from SIRT, its executive director ordered the investigation. The release said a team from SIRT headed to the Moosomin First Nation and the Battleford RCMP detachment to begin that probe, which also will include a community liaison.

“SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident,” the organization said in its release. “The RCMP will maintain conduct of the investigation into the actions of the vehicles’ occupants.”

SIRT said it wouldn’t release any more information about the incident. A final report is to release within 90 days of the investigation ending.

The organization’s mandate is to investigate incidents where a person has died or suffered serious injury stemming from the actions of on- and off-duty police officers, or while they’re in the custody of police.