PRINCE ALBERT – A wanted fugitive who violently resisted arrest by the RCMP’s Warrant Enforcement and Suppression Team (WEST) claimed he mistook officers for gang members – a defence the judge rejected as “implausible.”
On April 16, Prince Albert Provincial Court Judge Steven Schiefner dismissed Jade Ermine’s claim that he mistook the arresting officers for street gang members attempting to swarm him. Ermine was convicted on multiple charges, including possession of stolen property worth over $5,000, resisting arrest by three officers, dangerous driving, fleeing from police, and mischief for damaging a police vehicle during the confrontation.
“Does the evidence satisfy me beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Ermine knew it was police officers (not gang members) approaching him on Oct. 3, 2024? Yes,” said Judge Schiefner. “It is not possible that Mr. Ermine did not know the vehicles that surrounded him were police vehicles and that the persons who approached the outside of his vehicle were police officers. This awareness would have been immediate.”
The judge said that officers were in full uniform, driving marked cruisers with emergency lights activated, shouting commands as they surrounded the stolen yellow 2021 Kia Seltos SUV Ermine was in, and Ermine knew one of the officers from past encounters. One officer, Const. Bear, even parked directly in front of the vehicle, blocking his escape.
“I do not know if Mr. Ermine had ever been swarmed by gang members before,” added Judge Schiefner. “But he told the court he had been arrested before. In other words, this was neither a new nor an unexpected experience for Mr. Ermine.”
During the trial on Jan. 20, Ermine testified in his own defence saying he believed the officers approaching him were gang members who were violent, potentially armed, and had an unsettled beef with him. He said he had left their gang and joined another gang.
Bodycam footage played in court revealed Ermine’s attempt to escape—ramming the SUV repeatedly into cruisers before officers physically dragged him out after a prolonged struggle involving strikes, a Taser, and a strike with the butt of a revolver.
Crown prosecutor Kristen Hubbard called six police officers to testify.
Two officers (Constables Lapoint and Burnett) from the RCMP WEST testified. WEST is a unit within the RCMP, and its purpose is to apprehend high-risk offenders and gang members wanted on outstanding warrants.
RCMP WEST locate Ermine
Court heard Jade Ermine became a “target” for WEST when he violated his parole, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Around noon on Oct. 3, 2024, Const. Lapoint received information from a confidential informant that Ermine was driving a stolen yellow SUV in Sturgeon Lake First Nation and he was seen at a specific address. As a result, Const. Lapoint contacted the Sturgeon Lake detachment of the RCMP and asked that they be on the lookout for Ermine. Const. Lapoint and Const. Burnett drove to Sturgeon Lake to begin looking for Ermine.
At 1:20 p.m., officers arrived at Sturgeon Lake First Nation and located the house Ermine was at. In the backyard, they spotted a yellow SUV matching the description of a stolen vehicle. To gather more information, Const. Lapoint flew a drone equipped with video surveillance over the property. The drone footage confirmed that the SUV matched the stolen vehicle’s description and showed two individuals near it—one believed to be Ermine.
The vehicle appeared to be running with its trunk open, leading the officer to suspect Ermine was preparing to flee. Const. Lapoint called for backup to assist in arresting Ermine on his outstanding warrant.
Multiple officers responded, including Constables Pietrse and Taylor, who arrived together in one vehicle. Constables Bear, Vandall, and McVicker, each arrived separately.
After assembling, the officers formulated a plan to enter the property and apprehend Ermine. Based on intelligence, they believed he might be armed with a silver handgun and could attempt to flee, as he had previously said he wasn’t going back to prison.
RCMP WEST developed an arrest strategy that would see three uniformed officers (Constables Bear, McVicker, and Pietrse) enter the property in marked police vehicles. Constables Burnett, Taylor, and Vandall would position themselves at strategic locations around the property to prevent escape by foot or vehicle. Const. Lapoint would continue monitoring the scene via drone.
With the plan in place, officers moved in.
The violent confrontation
Ermine was standing near the driver’s side of the SUV, which had its driver’s door open. A female passenger sat in the front seat with her door closed. Ermine appeared to be sorting through items scattered on the ground, which had been taken from the rear compartment.
Const. Bear parked his truck directly behind the SUV, giving him a clear view of Ermine. Simultaneously, Const. McVicker, driving the second police vehicle, circled the house from the opposite direction and parked in front of the SUV, activating his emergency lights. Ermine was visible to McVicker as he positioned his vehicle.
Before either police vehicle came to a complete stop, Ermine rushed into the driver’s seat, started the SUV, and attempted to flee. The vehicle lurched forward, colliding with the front bumper of McVicker’s suburban. Recognizing Ermine’s attempt to escape, Const. Bear moved his vehicle forward, pinning the SUV between the two police vehicles.
Despite being immobilized, Ermine continued to rev the engine aggressively, shifting between drive and reverse while the tires spun in the dirt. Over an 18-second span, he repeatedly rammed the SUV into McVicker’s vehicle, then reversed into Bear’s truck, unable to break free.
Const. Bear exited his vehicle with a carbine rifle and approached the driver’s side, shouting, “Jade, get out of the vehicle!” He attempted to open the door, but Ermine resisted, pulling it shut before Bear forced it open again. Meanwhile, Const. Pietrse reached into the driver’s seat while McVicker opened the passenger door, commanding both occupants to exit.
Ermine refused to comply, leading to a prolonged struggle. Officers used physical force, compliance strikes, and a conductive energy weapon to subdue him. Ermine braced himself inside the vehicle, gripping the steering wheel and console while kicking at the officers. At one point, Pietrse struck Ermine with the butt of his revolver, and later deployed a Taser to his back.
Const. Burnett arrived 55 seconds into the altercation and helped restrain Ermine. McVicker eventually pried Ermine’s hands from the wheel, while Bear freed his legs. The officers then dragged Ermine out by his feet, placed him on the ground in a compliance hold, and handcuffed him. By 1:53 p.m., he was secured in the back of Bear’s vehicle.
On April 25, Ermine’s matter was adjourned to June for a sentencing hearing.
