The employee dressed in the stormtrooper costume. (Supplied by Bradley Whalen)

By David Opinko

LPS to launch “service investigation” into Star Wars Day stormtrooper arrest

May 5, 2020 | 12:11 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) will be looking into the way officers handled a call for service at a local Star Wars-themed restaurant on Monday, May the Fourth.

LNN reported that an employee at Coco Vanilla Galactic Cantina was outside the store dressed as a stormtrooper for a promotion.

Two members of the public had phoned 911 to report a weapons complaint, apparently believing the plastic toy blaster she was carrying as part of the costume was a real firearm.

Store Owner Bradley Whalen told LNN about his recollection of the incident.

“Police officers had guns drawn, pointed at my employee. They were yelling at her to put the gun down so she threw the plastic gun on the ground. At that point in time when I came out, she was on her knees kneeling down on the ground. The police had already checked and seen that the gun was plastic so they already knew that there wasn’t an issue or a risk there.”

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 26, 2024

9h ago

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 19, 2024

Apr 19, 2024

In the hours since the incident and our story on it, a member of the public released a video of the interaction between the police officers and the employee. Audio has been removed from the video by the photographer:

“Upon reviewing the file and additional information, including video circulating on social media, Chief Scott Woods has directed a service investigation under the Alberta Police Act that will look into whether the officers’ acted appropriately within the scope of their training and LPS policies and procedures,” reads a statement from LPS.

The police service reiterated the claims from Inspector Jason Walper that “the subject dropped the weapon but did not initially comply with further police directions to get on the ground.”

The “weapon” was eventually determined to not be legitimate and the employee was not charged. She sustained a “minor injury” to her nose but did not require medical attention.

As the matter is now under investigation, LPS will not be providing any further comment until it is complete.