The BC Prosecution Service announced on March 25, 2026, that no criminal charges will be laid against a Port Alberni RCMP officer following an incident in a holding cell. The decision comes nearly 10 months after a man in police custody was injured during an interaction with the officer on May 14, 2025, in Port Alberni, British Columbia.
The incident happened around 6:45 a.m. when the officer tried to wake up a man who had been arrested the night before for mischief. According to the investigation, the man threatened the officer, who then used a physical hold and pushed the man. The man fell and suffered a five-centimetre cut on his head that required six staples at the hospital.
The local police department conducted its own internal review and originally suggested that charges should be brought against the officer. However, provincial lawyers determined the officer’s actions were a reasonable and necessary response to the man’s verbal threats.
Officials reviewed audio and video recordings of the interaction before making the final decision. The ruling concludes the formal legal process regarding the officer’s use of force, though the police department may still conduct its own internal administrative reviews.
