First Ever Police Act Hearing in PEI Commenced by Falconers LLP
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Posted by Shelby Percival
- Posted in BlogsNews
Falconers LLP Partner Asha James and Associate Erin McMurray are proud and honoured to be involved in the first ever Police Act (“PA”) hearing in Prince Edward Island (“PEI”). The hearing stems from a Complaint made by Laura MacArthur (“Laura”) on February 2, 2023, based on the interactions and treatment that she and her husband Tyler Knockwood (“Tyler”) experienced in January 2023. Adjudicator Wayne Cheverie (“Adjudicator Cheverie”) is overseeing the hearing.
In January 2023, the Charlottetown Police Service (“CPS”) were called in respect of a mental health crisis that Tyler was experiencing. Despite Laura’s explanations of her husband’s behaviour, CPS officers did not take notes or formally interview witnesses and declined to transport Tyler to hospital. As a result, in the early hours of January 17, 2023, Tyler tragically took his own life at Province House in Charlottetown.
Laura’s Complaint, which alleges that the police were negligent in their duties in their interactions with Tyler, was investigated and the allegations were found to be unsubstantiated. Laura appealed this decision and the Office of the Police Commissioner’s review determined that the fact that misconduct was not found in the actions of the officers was an incorrect finding. Laura made the decision to take her Complaint to adjudication and is seeking a finding of misconduct to be made against the officers that interacted with Tyler before his death.
This is the first time since the PA was updated that a PA Complaint has escalated to an adjudication hearing. The hearing proceedings are ongoing from February 9 to 13, 2026 and continuing from February 23 to 27, 2026, at the Sir Louis Henry Davies Law Courts in Charlottetown. The hearing starts each day at 9:30am and concludes at 4:30pm, local time. To view the hearing, please click here.
Media Coverage:
- Devon Goodsell, CBC News (Feb. 9, 2026) – “Widow tells police conduct hearing about Tyler Knockwood’s behaviour prior to his death”
- Shane Ross, CBC News (Oct. 8, 2024) – “Mobile mental health units need better collaboration with police, says OmbudsPEI report”
- Wayne Thibodeau, CBC News (Dec. 14, 2023) – “Charlottetown police not negligent in Tyler Knockwood’s death, investigation reveals”
