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RCMP union defends Innisfail officer involved in violent arrest

Two men facing assaulting a police officer charges after June 3 traffic stop
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The association representing Canada’s RCMP officers is defending an officer involved in the arrest that turned violent with two Indigenous women after a weekend traffic stop in Innisfail.

RCMP said that an officer was attacked by the driver and passenger of a pickup that had been pulled over for allegedly speeding through a stop sign in the town in the early hours last Saturday.

Police allege the two were both “intoxicated, belligerent and verbally aggressive with the officer” before the situation escalated to a physical confrontation.

The passenger, Red Deer lawyer Laura Phypers, was defended in a statement released on Monday by her brother, Andrew Phypers, who works out of the same law firm as his sister.

The statement accuses the officer of escalating the situation before punching Laura Phypers, 37, seven times in the head, breaking her nose and leaving her bruised with concussive symptoms and other injuries.

The driver, Desiree Friesen, 24, was also suffered bruises to her head, back and neck in the incident.

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Two women accused of assaulting an RCMP officer

On Tuesday, Kevin Halwa of the National Police Federation (NPF) released a statement critical of Phypers’ comments, calling them “sensationalized allegations of misconduct” by the arresting officer, who was also injured in the altercation with the women.

Halwa, who is NPF Prairie Region director, says that policing is heavily regulated in Canada and there are numerous independent, transparent complaint processes available to members o the public who feel an officer’s actions were not appropriate or justified.

“The third-party complainant, who presents themselves as a member of the legal profession, would know this but chose to publicly shame the officer who has no opportunity to explain the situation without compromising ongoing criminal matters before the courts.”

Halwa says the federation thanks the officer for his “patience, professionalism and commitment to public safety during an unnecessarily tense and dangerous situation, and we wish them a speedy recovery from their injuries.”

Andrew Phypers said he had no further comment.

Laura Phypers will be defended by Maurice Collard, who works out of the same law firm. Collard also said he had no comment.

Phypers has been charged with assaulting a police officer, obstructing a police officer and uttering threats. Friesen is facing charges of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest and refusing to provide a breath sample.

Both are due in Red Deer’s Alberta Court of Justice on June 20.