Peel police asked to investigate after OPP officer seen pushing a child during a confrontation
Published April 20, 2021 at 2:49 pm
Peel Regional Police are being asked to investigate an incident involving an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer and a young person (who appears to be a child) that took place in Gravenhurst.
The OPP say that on April 19, 2021, the police service became aware of a video on social media that showed an OPP officer shoving a young boy.
The incident occurred on April 18, 2021.
A video of the incident can be seen here:
Video circulating shows an @OPP_CR officer shove a 12 year old boy after he fails to identify himself while riding his scooter at a skatepark in Gravenhurst. Skateparks remain closed under new #COVID19 regulations brought in by @fordnation @SylviaJonesMPP pic.twitter.com/arykqCxwHx
— Andrew Collins (@ACollinsPhoto) April 20, 2021
Police say that officers stopped to speak to a group of young people in a skate park who were not wearing masks or social distancing. At one point during the incident, an officer appeared to get physical with a boy.
The skate park where the incident occurred is currently closed under the provincial stay at home order.
“To ensure transparency in this matter, I have requested that Chief Nishan Duraiappah assign members of the Peel Regional Police Service to conduct an investigation into this incident,” OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said in a statement.
“We understand the concerns being expressed by members of the public, and I want to assure everyone that the Ontario Provincial Police holds its members to highest levels of professionalism and accountability.”
The OPP say the officer involved in the incident has been reassigned to administrative duties until the investigation is completed.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, or the circumstances prior to it, is asked to contact the Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311.
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