Two Langley officers were involved in physical altercations after traffic stops over the last week.
The most recent incident took place on Sunday, Aug. 12 in the very early morning hours when general duty officers pulled over a vehicle for speeding in the 20800 block of Fraser Highway.
The officer approached the driver and suspected the driver had been drinking. The driver was asked to use a breathalyzer but refused.
The suspect, a 25-year-old Port Moody man, refused to provide a breath sample.
During the arrest of the suspect, a physical fight took place beginning on the sidewalk, onto the grass and eventually into a nearby ditch, said Langley RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Holly Marks.
Additional officers were called to help. After several minutes of struggling, the suspect was arrested and brought back to the Langley detachment.
Police will be recommending charges to Crown Counsel relative to resisting arrest and driving related charges.
On Aug. 8, two officers from the Langley crime reduction unit took notice of a red Chrysler 300 in the 20100 block of 88 Avenue. One of the officers queried the licence plate and found it to be associated with a prohibited driver.
There were two occupants in the vehicle and the driver matched the description available to the officer, said Marks.
The officers pulled the vehicle over and approached the driver who kept ignoring directions given to him.
When the 20-year-old Surrey man was advised he was under arrest for driving while prohibited, he resisted and kneed one of the two officers in the groin.
Fortunately, after a struggle, the second officer was able to handcuff the suspect.
The passenger, also 20 and from Surrey, was arrested when it was discovered he had a warrant out for driving while prohibited.
“These incidents serve to demonstrate how the individuals police deal with can be very unpredictable, particularly when alcohol or drugs are involved. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt,” said Marks.
“Police officers remain vigilant at all times, constantly re-evaluating the situation for the safety of the public, the suspect and themselves.
These confrontations help to enlighten the public on why exactly police officers respond the way they do when they perceive danger.”