FORT McMURRAY — A Fort McMurray RCMP officer investigated for an alleged assault has been cleared of any criminal wrongdoing by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.
In a decision released Wednesday, ASIRT found “no assault occurred” during an incident involving an off-duty officer and a private citizen on Nov. 30, 2025.
The investigation stemmed from a complaint by a plumber who had been called to an apartment building to deal with an emergency water leak. The worker first attended a lower unit where water was entering, then went to the apartment above, believing it to be the source of the problem.
That unit was occupied by the officer, who was under suspension at the time and not permitted to identify himself as a member of the RCMP.
According to the report, the interaction at the apartment door led the officer to become suspicious of the worker. The officer asked for identification, but the plumber did not have any on him and offered to retrieve it from his vehicle.
The officer accompanied the worker downstairs. As they approached the building exit, the officer moved in front of him and stopped him from leaving.
Video evidence reviewed by investigators showed the officer “grabbed the [worker’s] left arm or jacket sleeve” and prevented him from exiting for about 10 seconds.
The plumber later alleged the officer had grabbed him by the neck and tried to force him to the ground, claims that prompted the ASIRT investigation.
However, the report states “there was no other physical contact between the two” beyond what was captured on video.
ASIRT concluded the interaction did not meet the threshold for a criminal offence, describing the officer’s actions as “a minor action that did not rise to the level of a criminal offence.”
Investigators noted it may have been more appropriate for the officer to allow the worker to retrieve identification, but said the conduct did not amount to assault under the Criminal Code.
The report also raises the possibility of internal discipline if the officer identified himself as RCMP while under suspension, which would violate the conditions of that suspension.
Because the matter involved an RCMP officer, any further review or disciplinary action will be handled internally by the RCMP. ASIRT’s mandate is limited to determining whether criminal charges are warranted.
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