The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) is now taking the lead on a use-of-force investigation involving a Whitehorse RCMP officer, and will appoint a community liaison as an impartial observer.

After initial consultation between the RCMP, the Yukon’s Department of Justice and ASIRT, it was decided that police would conduct the investigation and ASIRT would review it.

But that’s changed.

“It should be clear that there was no suggestion that the investigation commenced by the RCMP was anything other than thorough and professional,” ASIRT stated this morning in a news release.

“It was simply determined that the particular incident required a higher level of engagement to ensure independence and objectivity.”

ASIRT’s executive director, Susan Hughson, said today that both RCMP and the Yukon government requested greater involvement from ASIRT.

The independent Alberta team examines cases of serious civilian injuries or deaths involving police.

“This case was the subject of a lot of back-and-forth debate of what level of engagement ASIRT should have,” Hughson said.

“From our perspective, we see it as a very straightforward investigation.

“I would have been satisfied with a review, but the RCMP wanted more involvement from ASIRT, the Yukon government wanted more involvement from ASIRT.

“After some discussion, it seemed that because of concerns that were raised about past incidents with the RCMP, it might be better to simply take over the investigation, and, from that perspective, increase public confidence.”

A community liaison will also be appointed “to facilitate the link between the community, the affected person and as an impartial observer to the investigation,” the release said.

This happens in select cases, sometimes at a community’s request, ASIRT spokeswoman Lynn Crawford said.

“We engage with the community ... to ask for someone who they think would be a good person to work with us on the investigation,” she said.

A list of names will be gathered and provided to the Justice department, which makes the appointment.

The liaison reviews the investigation to see that it’s thorough and transparent.

“It’s just a way for the community to gain better confidence by having someone they know and trust in their community,” Crawford said.

Hughson said because Yukon First Nations communities are particularly concerned about this incident, ASIRT will try to appoint someone they’re satisfied with.

She expects this will happen next week.

That’s also when ASIRT’s investigators will arrive in Whitehorse.

Hughson stressed that no current or former RCMP officers will make up this investigative team.

At issue is a minute-and-a-half-long video posted on Facebook that shows a Whitehorse RCMP officer using force to arrest a man on Easter Sunday.

Insp. Archie Thompson said that police assistance was requested at a Jeckell Street home because of a reported fight.

But other details are unknown, including what happened before the video began.

Shot in a kitchen, it appears to show the officer punch the man, who is lying on the floor, in the face.

He then rolls the man onto his stomach and tells him several times to put his hands behind his back, but the man is unresponsive.

The officer then pulls the man’s arms behind his back and handcuffs him.

The man pictured in the video – which has since been viewed more than 800,000 times – is Joshua Skookum, 26.

Skookum appeared in territorial court Thursday on charges including resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer.

He was released on bail and ordered not to consume alcohol or possess firearms.

The officer in the video – who Thompson would not identify – has been placed on administrative duty while ASIRT’s investigation is ongoing.

“That’s why I really can’t say a whole lot, because I don’t want to in any way interfere with what they’re doing,” Thompson said today.

In a statement earlier this week, he said police have a responsibility to be accountable to the public for their actions, including the use of force.

“In order to make an informed judgment, more information is needed,” he said.

“Social media do not always allow viewers the benefit of context or offer the totality of events, including the moments leading up to the point where the video started.”

Skookum’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 22.