March 3, 2023, Red Deer RCMP responded to a break and enter in the city of Red Deer. Officers located a suspect and in the process of the arrest, officers were assaulted and sprayed with bear spray. While lawfully placing the suspect under arrest, an altercation occurred which resulted in injuries to the suspect. The suspect was taken to the detachment and examined by EMS.
As a result of a statutory investigation, on Dec. 1, 2023, Constable Steven Cerant was charged with assault and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 9, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Red Deer.
Constable Cerant has 3 years of service with the RCMP. He remains on administrative duties. Once the criminal matter has been resolved, his duty status will be reviewed.
The Alberta RCMP believes in processes that seek the facts and it’s important that processes taken to assess the actions of all those involved, including the police, are fair, transparent, and defendable. This is why, when we become aware of a situation that requires review, we immediately initiate internal processes to look at the totality of the incident, including the actions of the RCMP, the use of force during the incident, and the duty status of the member. As this matter is now before the courts, the Alberta RCMP are unable to provide further information.
