Police not responsible for man who died in custody

Cape Breton police officers were not responsible for the death of a man who died in their custody last December, Nova Scotias Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) has concluded.

The 66-year-old man was picked up by members of the Cape Breton Regional Police Service in December following a tip about an SUV alleged to contain a large quantity of marijuana about to board the North Sydney ferry to Newfoundland.

Police arrested the man and took him back to the police cells. When the arrived, they found the man unresponsive. Resuscitation was attempted but the man died.

An autopsy report has found the man died of a significant blockage in his coronary arteries. The man was not injured during his arrest, SIRT said in a news release.

No drugs were found in the mans vehicle.

SIRTinvestigates all serious incidents involving the police in the province, regardless of whether there is an allegation of wrongdoing.