A Métis man who is seeking an apology from the Regina Police Service for an improper strip search more than five years ago will not get his long sought after apology.
Mark Popowich was arrested on December 3, 2013 for trafficking cocaine. He was detained by two female officers.
He was later ordered to undergo a strip search for contraband, yet none were found.
This search was conducted by a female officer, without a male officer being present.
Popowich complained about the search with the Public Complaints Commission saying the search was not done according to procedure.
“I knew that I was right and that they were wrong for searching me like that. When the investigation came out and found they were in the wrong I was relieved somewhat. But, I figured I was going to get some type of an apology or to even know what happened to these officers who did this to me, but nothing was ever done,” Popowich said.
According to a letter from the Public Complaints Commission to Popowich regarding the incident, it states that the Chief of Police has reviewed the circumstances and has recommended that the conduct of the officers is not consistent with the standards and expectations of the police service.
Further the officers lacked familiarity with relevant policies and directives, failed to get proper authorization from detention supervisors and did not have proper documentation.
“The public Complaints Commission did the investigation thoroughly and everything I said had happened had happened. I wasn’t given an apology or any type of thing like that,” explained Popowich. “They just swept me under the rug, nothing ever came of it.”
A spokesperson for the Regina Police Service says the Public’s Complaints Commission “is satisfied that the Chief of Police took ‘action appropriate to the circumstances.’ The letter does not instruct the Chief or the Regina Police Service to issue an apology. The matter is closed.”