A disturbing video from a court case has been released to the media. It shows an RCMP officer apparently kneeling on a man’s neck at the Winnipeg International Airport. Assistant Commissioner Jane MacLatchy Commanding Officer, RCMP Manitoba says she found the video very disturbing and says, the RCMP does not teach nor endorse any technique where RCMP officers place a knee on the head or neck.

When a suspect is on the ground, police officers may place a knee on the upper body of an individual to gain control to allow them to handcuff the person. Officers are taught to place a knee just below the shoulder blade and to avoid applying pressure directly on the neck or spine.

Officers were called to an incident in front of the terminal building about an intoxicated male who had allegedly assaulted a member of the public. When officers arrived, they tried for an extended period of time to de-escalate the situation. Police say the individual, did not cooperate and became combative, striking a police officer in the face without apparent provocation. After the individual had been placed in handcuffs, he allegedly kicked the arresting officer in the groin and thigh area. The individual was taken to the ground at which point the officer appears to place his knee to the individual’s neck.

MacLatchy says this is a difficult situation for any police officer to deal with. However, a knee to the neck is not the response for which officers are trained, and this incident needs to be further examined.

RCMP have referred the incident to the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba. There is also a comprehensive internal review of the officer’s action. As part of this internal process, the duty status of the officer involved is being reviewed.