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Serious Incident Response Team

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SiRT investigating after arrest in Woodstock leads to injury

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The Serious Incident Response Team is investigating after an arrest in Woodstock resulted in a serious injury.

In a release, SiRT said the incident occurred Oct. 7 when an off-duty member of the Woodstock Police saw a male youth wanted for other offences.

The off-duty officer contacted the department and other officers responded and pursued the youth on foot.

During the arrest, the youth was brought to the ground.

He was taken to hospital for assessment and diagnosed with a serious leg injury.

Woodstock Police contacted SiRT the same day and the investigation started immediately.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of a police officer, on or off duty, in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

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SiRT annual report highlights productive year

The Serious Incident Response Team had a busy year.

The team’s annual report for 2025-26 showed it received 155 notifications from police and the public.

In the end, their work led to criminal charges against 11 police officers – six in Nova Scotia and five in New Brunswick.

SiRT director Erin Nauss says staff go the extra mile, exceeding expectations despite limited resources.

“The SiRT team continued to demonstrate the professionalism, commitment, and integrity that define our work,” Nauss said in a statement.

“I am confident in the year ahead and the progress we will continue to make towards building public confidence in the oversight of police in all communities of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.”

SiRT investigates matters of public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer, such as death or sexual assault.

Some key stats from the report:

  • In the 2025-26 fiscal year, SiRT received 155 notifications. That includes 117 from police and 38 from the public or other organizations.
  • 48 full investigations were conducted: 26 in Nova Scotia, 21 in New Brunswick, one in P.E.I.
  • 42 review/preliminary investigations: 25 in Nova Scotia, 17 in New Brunswick.
  • Three files where SiRT provided oversight of investigations led by other police agencies.
  • 62 notifications did not meet the SiRT mandate.

The full report can be found here.

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SiRT investigates RCMP response after man found dead

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The Serious Incident Response Team is investigating how RCMP handled a call to a home in Hardwicke, a rural community east of Miramichi, where a man was later found dead.

SiRT said preliminary information from the RCMP shows officers received a call on Aug. 19 about noises and concern for a neighbour’s well-being at the home.

The agency explained that the RCMP did not attend the home that night and arranged for the Miramichi Mobile Crisis Unit to respond the next morning.

The crisis unit asked the RCMP to join them at the home on Aug. 20, according to SiRT.

RCMP reported that while assisting with the call, officers found an adult male dead inside the home.

SiRT received the information from the RCMP on Aug. 21 and continued the investigation from there.

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19-year-old man dead after speeding from traffic stop

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A 19-year-old Havre Boucher man has died from after speeding away from a traffic stop in Antigonish County.

RCMP say it happened after they spotted the vehicle on Cape Jack Rd. on Saturday, July 18 after 11 p.m.

For the interest of public safety, police turned off their emergency lights and did not pursue the vehicle.

The officer saw the vehicle crash into the ditch and provided first aid while awaiting EHS and other first responders.

The RCMP’s watchdog, Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT), is now investigating the police pursuit.

The RCMP badge can be seen on the shoulder of a police officer.

SiRT investigates assault allegation, RCMP officer charged

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Allegations of intimate partner assault have led to charges against an RCMP officer with the Sunny Corner detachment, according to the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT).

SiRT said it received a referral from the RCMP on April 20 regarding the allegation.

Miramichi police had responded to the original call on April 17, and the agency took over the investigation once it was notified.

SiRT said it had reasonable and probable grounds to believe the officer committed criminal offences.

The agency said the officer is charged with assault, assault by choking, and unsafe storage of a firearm.

SiRT said the alleged offences occurred while the officer was off duty in the Miramichi area on April 17.

The officer is scheduled to appear in court on August 24.

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Bathurst police officer facing criminal charges

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An investigation by the Serious Incident Response Team has led to charges against a member of the Bathurst Police Force.

According to a release, the Bathurst Police Force contacted SiRT on May 27, 2025, regarding an allegation an officer was harassing a former intimate partner.

A second incident was referred to SiRT on June 27, 2025, and a third on June 28, 2025.

Both were related to the initial referral.

SiRT’s statement said the third incident was to referred to them by the RCMP. Due to the nature of the allegations in that case, SiRT asked the RCMP to conduct that investigation while they provided oversight and review.

After the completion of the investigations, a constable with the Bathurst Police Force was charged on April 7.

He’s facing charges of criminal harassment, being unlawfully in a dwelling house, uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm, harassment by making repeated communications by way of telecommunication and breach of trust of a public office.

All the offences are alleged to have occurred between Nov. 1, 2022, and May 26, 2025.

The officer will appear in Bathurst provincial court on June 29.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of a police officer, on or off duty, in Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.

Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.

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SIRT finds no grounds to charge Moncton RCMP officer

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An investigation by the Serious Incident Response Team found no reasonable grounds to charge an RCMP officer with a crime.

The investigation arose from an incident where the officer discharged a firearm while responding to a call in Moncton last fall.

It resulted in the death of a suspect.

Police were responding to a report of a robbery at a bank in Moncton on Sept. 27.

Following the robbery, the suspect fled on foot toward a residential area.

According to the SIRT report, the man tried to steal an occupied vehicle at gunpoint, but was unsuccessful and shot at another vehicle.

He continued on foot and broke into a home, pointing his gun at the occupant.

The occupant escaped unharmed.

RCMP officers found the man in the house and ordered him to co-operate.

It appeared the man was complying, but he ran back into the house and fired two shots toward an officer.

The man remained in the house for more than an hour, calling 911 several times, before setting the house and a vehicle on fire and fleeing out the back door.

Multiple officers told the man to stop at that point, but he refused, pointing his gun at officers.

He tried to break in to another home but was unsuccessful.

The SIRT report said the man was “looking for something in his pants and threatened to kill officers.”

The suspect turned around, arms raised, and pointed a gun at officers.

One officer fired three rounds from a carbine rifle, killing the suspect.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

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Assault charges laid against Saint John police officer

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A Saint John police officer is facing assault charges following an investigation by the Serious Incident Response Team

In a press release issued Thursday morning, the Saint John Police Force said the officer has been charged with assault causing bodily harm and assault with a weapon.

In July 10, the Saint John police contacted the SiRT regarding the alleged force used by one of their officers during an arrest that took place on July 5.

According to the release, officers were responding to a motor vehicle collision on the Harbour Bridge when one of the vehicles involved fled the scene. A brief pursuit followed, ending in the Main Street North area.

The adult male driver was taken into custody, with several officers involved in the arrest. The Saint John police said the man sustained injuries and was taken to hospital afterward.

In a separate release issued Thursday, SiRT said it initially determined in August that the case did not meet its mandate after receiving additional information from police.

However, in early November, the New Brunswick Public Prosecution Services independently referred the incident to SiRT due to concerns about the officer’s alleged use of force. SiRT then launched a formal investigation.

Saint John police said the officer has since been reassigned to administrative duties pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings. A Police Act investigation will follow once the court process concludes.

The officer is scheduled to appear in Saint John provincial court on June 15, according to SiRT.

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SiRT requests more info after charges laid against Grand Falls officer

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The Serious Incident Response Team is now looking for additional information after the arrest of a Grand Falls Police officer.

Constable Paul Lavoie is facing several child sex related charges, including making sexually explicit material available to a child, child luring and breach of trust.

He was charged on February 10 and is scheduled to return to Edmundston court on April 7.

RELATED: SiRT charges Grand Falls officer in minor-related case

The request from SiRT comes after many online comments about the arrest.

Anyone with details or concerns related to this officer is asked to contact the Serious Incident Response Team by phone or email at sirt.tips@novascotia.ca or by calling 1-855-450-2010.

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SiRT charges Grand Falls officer in minor-related case

A Grand Falls Police officer is facing several criminal charges after an investigation by the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT).

Grand Falls police contacted SiRT on March 31, 2025, after receiving information that suggested the officer had engaged in inappropriate contact with a minor.

The investigation led to charges laid on Tuesday, according to SiRT.

The offences are alleged to have occurred between Feb. 10 and March 22, 2025.

SiRT lists the following charges:

  • making sexually explicit material available to a child under the age of 18 years
  • making sexually explicit material available to a child under the age of 16 years
  • luring a child under the age of 18
  • luring a child under the age of 16
  • breach of trust by a public officer

The officer is scheduled to appear in Edmundston provincial court on April 7.

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