Alberta RCMP officer charged following on-duty collision

Mar 8, 2022 | 9:38 AM

COLD LAKE, AB – An Alberta RCMP Constable faces charges following an incident while on duty.

On August 21, 2021 at 7:06 p.m., while on route to a complaint, a member of the Cold Lake RCMP collided head on with a motor vehicle near Highway 28 on the Cold Lake First Nation.

Mounties and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene. The adult man driving the civilian vehicle was taken to hospital with serious injuries. He was the lone occupant in the vehicle. The RCMP officer was also the only person in the police vehicle, and was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

The Director of Law Enforcement was notified of the collision and deemed the matter “out of scope” of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) and advised that the matter would remain with the Alberta RCMP, with ASIRT being informed of the results of the Alberta RCMP statutory investigation.

The RCMP’s Criminal Collision Investigative Team and an Alberta RCMP Collision Reconstructionist completed an investigation, in consultation with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service.

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As a result of that investigation, Constable Victoria Forbes has been charged with Dangerous Operation Causing Bodily Harm. Forbes is scheduled to appear in Cold Lake Provincial Court on March 23, 2022.

Forbes has one year of service with the RCMP. As a result of her injuries, she has been on administrative duties since her return to work following the collision, and will continue in that role as a result of her charges. The RCMP says once the criminal matter is resolved, Forbes’ duty status will be reviewed.

As the matter is now before the courts, the Alberta RCMP is unable to provide more information.

by Justin Goulet