Police watchdog investigates 2 cases of alleged assault by officers

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba has launched separate investigations after two people complained they were assaulted by RCMP and Winnipeg Police Service officers.

A woman complained that an officer from the RCMP Manitou detachment assaulted her during an arrest for driving while impaired after she was involved in a crash on April 21.

In a second case, aman who visited the Winnipeg police Smith Street headquarters onMay 17 was arrested, the agency said. The man said he was assaulted by an officer in a policeinterview room and went to St. Boniface Hospital after his release.

Neither of the complainantswere seriously injured, the unit said in a news release, but civilian director Zane Tesslerdeemed the incidents in the public interest and worthy of further investigation.

No more details are available as the investigations are ongoing.

The Independent Investigation Unit investigates all serious incidentsinvolving police in Manitoba.