DRUGS, ALCOHOL FUEL IN-CUSTODY DEATHS

Author States Police Force Committed To Reducing Fatal Incidents

An internal RCMP study documenting 80 in-custody deaths across Canada
over five years found most involved alcohol or drugs -- and a growing
number involved "excited delirium."

Forty per cent, or 32 deaths, between 2002 and 2006 were attributed
to alcohol and/or drug toxicity, followed by being shot by an
officer, at almost 25 per cent.

About 10 per cent died by suicide and the rest were by natural causes
or trauma.

The report found a typical in-custody death involved a male 30 to 50
years old who had a criminal record and was drunk or under the
influence of drugs.

"The subjects lived, for the most part, high-risk lifestyles," it
said. "Their decisions resulted in their deaths."

It said officers are in a "difficult position" dealing with
intoxicated people because hospitals won't admit them unless they
need medical help.

"There's no doubt there's probably a high incidence of drugs and
alcohol involved in those cases, but it doesn't exonerate the RCMP,"
said Murray Mollard of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association.

Mollard said that unless the RCMP allows independent investigations,
it shows a lack of willingness for the self-critique necessary for
systemic change.

Mollard cited the case of Const. Ryan Sheremetta, who shot Kevin St.
Arnaud dead in Vanderhoof in 2004 and was accused of giving false
testimony during a coroner's inquest last year. His testimony was
challenged and an external review by Toronto police was called only
after the police public complaints commissioner investigated -- not
after the internal investigation.

The RCMP's in-custody death report also showed that of the total 80
deaths, 18, or almost one-quarter, involved "excited delirium."

The condition, usually cocaine-induced and which requires a number of
officers to control sufferers because of their superhuman strength,
was cited in almost half of all deaths in 2006.

That was up from less than one-third in 2005 and one-tenth in 2004.

The author said in-custody deaths are sometimes unavoidable, but that
the force was committed to trying to reduce them.