An RCMP officer has been charged with assault causing bodily harm following an investigation into an alleged use-of-force incident involving a woman in custody at the Gleichen RCMP detachment east of Calgary.
The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) announced the charge Friday, October 23. It stems from an incident on the night of October 30, 2025, when an officer was placing a woman in cells at the Gleichen detachment.
According to ASIRT, the woman had been arrested earlier that evening for mischief. An allegation of excessive force while she was being placed in police cells led to an investigation by Alberta's independent police watchdog.
Charge laid after ASIRT and Crown review
ASIRT says investigators gathered evidence that provided reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence had been committed. After further review and advice from the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, ASIRT executive director Matthew Block determined that a charge should be laid.
On Thursday, October 22, ASIRT arrested Const. Marie-Helene Dupere and charged her with one count of assault causing bodily harm.
Dupere was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to make her first appearance in Alberta Court of Justice at Siksika Nation on November 26, 2026.
The charge is an allegation and has not been proven in court. The police watchdog's decision to charge does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Officer's duty status not confirmed
ASIRT said questions about employment matters, including whether Dupere is currently on active duty, should be directed to the RCMP. The October 23 announcement did not confirm the officer's duty status.
The agency said it would release no further information while the matter is before the courts. The woman involved in the alleged incident was not identified in the release.
ASIRT operates within Alberta's Police Review Commission, a civilian-led agency that investigates possible criminal offences involving police officers, including incidents involving serious injury or death.
Original source: Police Review Commission / ASIRT announcement, October 23, 2026.