By Curtis Galbraith

Police

Family of a man who died while in the custody of Grande Prairie RCMP says ASIRT will now play a role in the investigation

Aug 18, 2022 | 6:00 AM

The father of a man who died while in custody at the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment says his family has been told ASIRT is now taking an active role in the investigation into his son’s death.

Greg Hartzler says they are still waiting for official confirmation.

He says the investigation into how his son Addison died June 3, 2022, had been left up to the RCMP before Wednesday, something the family felt was not “appropriate or adequate” and that the family would welcome ASIRT’s involvement.

“It’s really unfortunate that we have to do the work and provide information to them to have them believe that there is something that isn’t correct here. They should have done it right from the get-go.”

Greg says Addison was a healthy, 30-year-old man at the time he was taken in and they were not told how he died.

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He adds according to information the family got from the RCMP, Addison should have been checked by a paramedic or doctor before being held.

“Or he should have been assessed once he was processed in the cells at the detachment and furthermore, he should have been assessed at some point in time in the nine hours that he was in RCMP custody.”

A statement released by the Hartzler family says Addison had called 911, saying he thought someone was trying to break into his home.

Greg says his son was taken into custody on a charge of public mischief within nine minutes of the RCMP arriving.

“That they take people into custody for calling in a potential break and enter in the middle of the night, they don’t know who you are or anything, to have them arrest you and take you into jail because you called them for help just seems to be unfathomable.”

Greg says the family had originally been told that ASIRT could not do the investigation because of what are called capacity issues. He criticizes the provincial government for this, saying the province needs to fund ASIRT and that if it doesn’t have enough funding, this is something voters in Alberta should be concerned about.

ASIRT was also called in to investigate the death of a 26-year-old man who died while in the custody of Grande Prairie RCMP in February of 2021.

EverythingGP has asked ASIRT to confirm they are investigating and the Grande Prairie RCMP to see if they wished to comment.

We are waiting to hear back from both.