Const. Michael Partington, a 4-year member with the EPS, has been charged with one count of assault pursuant to Sec. 266 of the Criminal Code of Canada. The charge stems from an arrest that took place in the area of 115 Avenue and 95 Street on Aug. 27, 2019.
The constable was released via an Appearance Notice and has since been relieved from duty without pay.
The charges follow an in-depth investigation by the EPS Professional Standards Branch (PSB) that was initiated by the receipt of a video on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2019. Upon completion of the investigation, PSB concluded that the level of force described in the police report was not consistent with the force observed in the video and, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020, referred the investigation to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services in Calgary to determine if a criminal charge was warranted. On Friday, June 12, 2020, the Alberta Crown Prosecution Services recommended a criminal charge be laid against Cst. Partington.
As the matter is currently before the courts, the EPS is not able to provide further comment or information about the incident or investigation.