Surrey RCMP assaults man with dog

On 04 May 2005 Surrey RCMP officers K. Meglic, B. Williams, R. Heppell, and J. Wilson all went to the home of Jean-Claude Emond to arrest him on an old charge of domestic violence.  Meglic had his service dog with him.  Emond fled from the police and Meglic set the dog after him.  The dog caught up with Emond at a fence, bit his ankle and pulled him down.  In response to a command from Meglic, Emond laid on the ground on his belly.  Meglic put his knee on Emond’s neck (this was pre-Floyd).  The various officers handcuffed Emond.  Notwithstanding his compliance, Meglic allowed the dog to continue biting Emond: on his foot, arm, and chest.  After Emond was handcuffed, Meglic allowed his dog to bite Emond on the buttocks and knee, tearing off his pants. 

Photographs showed bite wounds to Emond’s legs, thigh, knee, ankle, foot, buttock, and torso.  He required surgery for his injuries.  Sixteen years post-assault, he continued to suffer from pain and loss of sensation in his leg, reduced physical mobility and function, and psychological problems.

Emond ran a 15-day trial himself against 4 lawyers for the Provincial and Federal Crowns.  On 8 July 2021 (16 years post-assault) Madam Justice Amy Francis awarded him $85,000 in pain and suffering (reduced by 25% because Emond fled from the police).  Justice Francis commented: [58] “there is a curious gap in the evidence of the Arresting Officers with respect to how Mr. Emond ended up with the numerous bites he indisputably sustained. Cst. Meglic claims to have only witnessed one bite – the initial bite and hold to Mr. Emond’s left leg. None of the other Arresting Officers appear to have witnessed the PSD bite Mr. Emond at all.” Read her judgment here: https://www.bccourts.ca/jdb-txt/sc/21/13/2021BCSC1331.htm.

A search of the RCMP’s public discipline database: https://decisions.rcmp.gc.ca/rcmp/en/nav.do, shows no record of any disciplinary action against Meglic.

Maintiens le droit?  Hardly.