Judge wants changes to how Peace Officers handle unstable people

CALGARY – A judge is recommending changes to how peace officers deal with mentally unstable people after the death of an officer in 2012.

Judge Bruce Fraser oversaw a fatality inquiry into the death of Rod Lazenby, a peace officer who was attacked and strangled while responding to a call about dogs on a rural property south of Calgary.

Trevor Kloschinsky was charged with first-degree murder, but was found not criminally responsible because a mental disorder meant he didn’t understand that what he was doing was wrong.

Fraser recommends peace officers should not be alone when dealing with individuals who are a known threat or mentally unstable.