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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The Yellowknife RCMP has re-opened its investigation into an alleged assault by a municipal enforcement officer of a woman driving two grandchildren to the Santa Claus Parade last year.

"We've re-opened the investigation and we will make efforts to contact and interview all witnesses," Cpl. Barry Ledoux told Yellowknifer on Monday.

The RCMP declined to lay charges after concluding its original investigation in January, even though only the 55-year-old woman and the unnamed male bylaw officer were interviewed. Paul Guyot, a man who said he witnessed the incident while attending the Nov. 17 parade with a friend, his girlfriend and her five year-old child, approached the RCMP to make a statement but was never interviewed.

In a letter received by Yellowknifer on Friday, RCMP Chief Supt. Wade Blake, commanding officer of the RCMP G Division, stated he was made aware of the situation after reading an article in Yellowknifer on Feb. 8.

"I had senior RCMP staff review the initial investigation and they confirmed to me that we had indeed concluded the file without interviewing all witnesses," stated Blake. "At that time I directed that this matter be re-opened and investigated fully."

The incident in question occurred shortly before the Santa Claus Parade got underway. The woman was driving on 51 Avenue with two of her grandchildren, aged 11 and four, to a downtown residence where they were to watch the parade when she got turned around in heavy traffic at a wooden barricade at 49 Street.

During the altercation that ensued between the driver and two municipal enforcement officers, one officer allegedly tried to pull the still-seat belted woman from her vehicle after twice grabbing the woman's cellphone from her hand as she tried to call family members nearby.

The woman has repeatedly declined to comment publicly on the incident but was interviewed by police. The mother of the children, who asked not to be named, said her children were traumatized by the event.

"I'm a little surprised it's being re-opened," the mother told Yellowknifer Monday, adding she had previously been told by RCMP the case would remain closed.

"It seems like they're reacting to the paper more than to my concerns."

Nonetheless, the mother is still holding out hope that recommendations will be made to retrain municipal enforcement officers to ensure they treat members of the public fairly and avoid similar altercations in the future.

Guyot told Yellowknifer Monday the RCMP contacted him about making a statement late last week. While he has yet to so, Guyot said he will be giving the police a detailed report on what he saw to help them with their investigation.

"It's good that they've re-opened it," he said, adding he still hopes police will pursue an assault charge.

It is not uncommon for cases to be re-opened by the Yellowknife RCMP, said Ledoux. Whenever new information in a closed case is brought forward, as often happens through Crime Stoppers, the case will be re-opened.

"At this point, we would like to re-assure the public that yes, sometimes files are concluded prematurely, but we are committed to investigating things thoroughly," he said.

See letter from Chief Supt. Wade Blake on page 9.

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