An RCMP officer who broke a Saskatchewan hospital patient’s arm during an arrest will not face charges, despite a police watchdog finding grounds for assault.
RCMP officer will not be charged
A Saskatchewan RCMP officer who broke a woman’s arm during a hospital arrest will not face criminal charges.
The decision comes despite the province’s Serious Incident Response Team, or SIRT, finding reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed assault causing bodily harm.
The incident happened outside Melfort Hospital in July 2025.
However, Saskatchewan’s Public Prosecutions office has decided there is not enough evidence to support a conviction.
Woman’s arm broke during arrest
According to the SIRT report, Melfort RCMP were called to the hospital on July 2, 2025.
The 38-year-old woman was receiving mental health care. She had left the hospital despite medical advice.
An RCMP officer arrived and tried to arrest her under the Mental Health Services Act.
A struggle then began in the hospital parking lot.
During the struggle, the officer placed pressure on the woman’s right arm. The arm was already handcuffed.
The report says the arm then broke with an audible sound and became visibly displaced.
The woman was later taken back into the hospital for treatment.
Watchdog raised concerns over force
SIRT reviewed body-camera footage, parking lot surveillance video and witness statements.
The review also included a written statement from the officer. He agreed to speak with investigators.
The report says the woman ran from the officer and swung her arm at his head. Her arm hit him and knocked off his hat.
The officer then tackled her.
Video and witness accounts also showed the officer repeatedly demanding that she give him her hands.
At one point, he struck her in the head with his fist. He then told her she was under arrest for assaulting a police officer.
The officer handcuffed her right wrist. He then applied pressure to the same arm.
That was when the woman’s arm fractured.
SIRT points to “significant issues”
SIRT said police can use force when it is reasonably necessary to carry out their duties.
However, investigators found concerns about how the officer handled the arrest.
The report points to the officer’s apparent anger during the confrontation.
It also highlights his decision to apply pressure to an arm that was already handcuffed.
SIRT said those factors raised “significant issues” about the level of force used.
The woman later tested positive for substances including cocaine and methamphetamine, according to the report.
Crown says conviction was unlikely
Despite SIRT’s findings, the Crown decided not to proceed with charges.
Noel Busse, a spokesperson for Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, said prosecutors must use a different test when deciding whether criminal charges should be laid.
The Crown must consider whether the available evidence can support a conviction in court.
It must also consider possible legal defences, including the Criminal Code rules around reasonable police force.
After reviewing the evidence, prosecutors concluded there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.
As a result, no criminal charge will be laid against the officer.
RCMP review could follow
The case is not necessarily finished from a disciplinary standpoint.
SIRT said its report will be sent to the RCMP and the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.
Those bodies can review the officer’s conduct and consider whether discipline is appropriate under the RCMP Code of Conduct.
So, while the officer will not face a criminal charge, the incident may still lead to further review.
The case also highlights the difficult line police must navigate when using force during mental health-related calls.
For now, Saskatchewan prosecutors have concluded that the evidence does not meet the threshold needed for a criminal conviction.
