A Queen's Bench judge has found former police constable Jarret Gelowitz not guilty of assault during an on-duty arrest.
Gelowitz, 32, was on trial facing an assault charge stemming from a takedown of a suspect following a high-speed chase in December 2016.
Gelowitz was charged with assault following an investigation by the Saskatoon Police Service’s professional standards section.
At the centre of the trial was a police vehicle dash-cam which captured officer's physical altercation with a suspect.
During the course of the trial court heard the pursuit started on Clarence Avenue and Eighth Street before the suspect vehicle merged onto Circle Drive, allegedly hitting speeds up to 160 kilometres per hour.
The dash-cam footage shown in court shows several officers yelling for two people in a stolen vehicle to put their hands up before using batons to smash the windows of the vehicle and attempt to wrestle the driver out of the car.
Joe Johnston, a retired Vancouver police officer with extensive experience in training police around North America in the use of force which engaging suspects, testified for the defence.
He told court that because of the gravity of the situation and the resistant behavior of the suspect, Gelowitz’s handling of the situation was consistent with training for law enforcement in Canada.
During the trial Gelowitz told court that he was following his training during the arrest of the driver.
He was fired from Saskatoon Police Service in August 2018 following two additional assault charges. Both charges have since been withdrawn.
Union calls for reinstatement
Dean Pringle, President of the Saskatoon Police Association, the union representing the Saskatoon Police Service issued this statement following the acquittal:
"One of the key principles of our justice system in Canada is the presumption of innocence ... In light of his acquittal in the Court of Queen's Bench today, the stay and withdrawal of the charges in two previous proceedings, the Saskatoon Police Association is hopeful that (Police) Chief (Troy) Cooper will reinstate Cst. Gelowitz to active duty with the Saskatoon Police Service as soon as possible."
"The Saskatoon Police Association feels that the reinstatement of Cst. Gelowitz is only the first step in compensating Gelowitz and will also demand that he receive his full back pay since his dismissal. As well, the legal fees incurred by the Police Association should be re-paid. Innocent (until) proven guilty can't just be words, they must mean something," Pringle said.
