Chief wants answers as Manitoba police watchdog investigates in-custody death on Long Plain First Nation
Chief wants to appoint civilian liaison for the IIU investigation
Leadership of Long Plain First Nation is calling for a community liaison to act as an observer during an investigation undertaken by Manitoba's police watchdog after a man was found unresponsive in his cell while being detained by the Manitoba First Nations Police Service.
The police service notified the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba about the incident on Saturday, the watchdog said in a news release Monday.
That notification said shortly after 2 p.m. that day, police arrested a man under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act and lodged him at the detachment on Long Plain.
Just over an hour later, the man was found unresponsive in his cell, the release said. He was taken to the Portage District General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Chief Kyra Wilson from Long Plain First Nation says the family is reeling from their loss and wants to know what happened to the young man.
"Right now the family is meeting that support and wanting those answers. As a community we're coming together to make sure that we are there for each other and making sure we're getting the answers that we need," she said in an interview Monday evening.
Wilson says a community liaison would be a point of contact for the IIU separate from the police who would help identify witnesses and stay abreast of the investigation.
"It's important that we are holding people accountable when it comes to ... our community members."
The IIU didn't provide any further details.
Because the incident involves a death, the watchdog said it will make a request for a civilian monitor to the Manitoba Police Commission, the release said.
Witnesses or anyone with information or video footage that might help in the investigation are asked to call the watchdog toll free at 1-844-667-6060.