A Calgary police officer accused of beating a handcuffed man has been charged with assault, two years after injuring the arrestee to the point that he required hospitalization.
On Thursday, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) announced charges against Const. David Wilhelm following a two-year investigation.
Wilhelm is a 10-year member who, according to the Calgary Police Service (CPS), was placed on restricted duties during the investigation.
CPS said it is reviewing Wilhelm’s duty status in light of the charges.
‘Repeatedly used force’
The incident took place in the early morning hours of March 20, 2022, when a man was brought to CPS’s arrest processing section.
That’s where Wilhelm “repeatedly used force” on the handcuffed arrestee, according to ASIRT.
The man was injured and required hospitalization for treatment.
CPS notified the provincial director of law enforcement and ASIRT began investigating in March 2022.
“The evidence gathered during ASIRT’s investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe that an offence had been committed,” ASIRT said in a news release Thursday.
The results of the investigation were then sent to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, which found the evidence met its standard for prosecution.
Wilhelm’s lawyer, Cory Wilson, declined to comment ahead of the first court appearance next month.