Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
On January 8 at approximately 6 p.m., Saskatchewan RCMP officers with the North Battleford Crime Reduction Team – Gang Task Force (CRT-GTF) received a report that an offender with active warrants related to an ongoing Saskatoon Police Service investigation was travelling in the North Battleford area.
RCMP North Battleford CRT-GTF and Police Dog Services (PDS) officers located the adult male at a business on Railway Ave East in North Battleford. While the individual was in the business, officers blocked the suspect vehicle to prevent him from fleeing in it.
When the individual exited the business, officers informed him he was under arrest. The individual resisted arrest, fled from officers and climbed onto the roof of an unrelated vehicle in the parking lot. The civilian occupant was safely removed from the vehicle. They did not report any physical injuries to police.
Officers attempted verbal de-escalation techniques with the suspect, however the individual was uncooperative and remained on the roof of the vehicle.
Officers deployed a 40mm extended range impact round and a conducted energy device concurrently. The individual fell from the vehicle and was arrested by RCMP North Battleford CRT-GTF, PDS and Battlefords Detachment officers.
The individual was assessed by EMS at the scene. He was then transported to hospital where he was evaluated by medical staff and deemed fit to be released back into RCMP custody and held at Battlefords Detachment.
Officer’s searched the vehicle the suspect was driving and seized a conducted energy device, a small amount of methamphetamine and other evidence of drug trafficking, forged documents and unstamped tobacco.
As a result of investigation, 35-year-old Rolfe Herman of La Loche, SK is charged with:
- one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- one count, possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon, Section 92(2), Criminal Code;
- two counts, resisting/obstructing peace officer, Section 129(1), Criminal Code; and
- two counts, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code.
Rolfe Herman is scheduled to make his first appearance in North Battleford Provincial Court on January 10, 2025.
A second adult male – a passenger in the vehicle the suspect was driving – was arrested at a nearby business. As a result of investigation, 42-year-old Clinton Opekokew from Île-à-la-Crosse, SK, is charged with:
- one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- one count, possession of a prohibited/restricted weapon, Section 92(2), Criminal Code;
- one count, possession of stolen property under $5,000, Section 354(1)(a), Criminal Code;
- two counts, use/traffic/possess a forged document, Section 368(1), Criminal Code; and
- one count, identity theft, Section 402.2(1), Criminal Code.
Clinton Opekokew is scheduled to make his first appearance in North Battleford Provincial Court on January 10, 2025.