With a promise to speak "openly” and "personally”, the Yukon's top cop released a prerecorded statement Friday about the police-custody death of Raymond Silverfox.

In a video posted on the Yukon RCMP website, Supt. Peter Clark says he is "shocked and disappointed, as are many members of the RCMP, that Mr. Silverfox had to endure the insensitive and callous treatment he endured while he was in our care.”

This echoes comments Clark made in a press release late last month, following revelations heard at a coroner's inquest into the circumstances of the 43-year-old man's death.

The coroner's jury learned that Silverfox lay in a filthy cell, covered in his own vomit and feces, for more than 13 hours before anyone gave him medical assistance.

During that period, he threw up 26 times, and often appeared to be unable to stand or even move away from the vomit which surrounded him.

The only attention the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation man received from police and guards after his arrest and before the ambulance was called were insults and laughter at his expense. During his stay, no one suggested he be changed out of his filthy clothes, or moved to a clean cell, as RCMP policy dictates.

He was not violent or verbally abusive to his guards, nor was he a chronic visitor to the RCMP cells.

On the one occasion he spoke to his keepers, to ask for a mat to lie on, he was told: "Sleep in your own shit.”

"I acknowledge that the RCMP did not meet the high standard of care we have established for ourselves and that you should expect us to achieve,” Clark said in his scripted statement. "I want to speak openly about this and how the RCMP has reacted.”

However, Clark has not spoken directly to the media, nor has he spoken to Silverfox's family, since the end of the inquest in spite of repeated requests from a number of individuals and news agencies.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Don Rogers defended the commanding officer's decision not to hold a press conference or do one-on-one interviews with reporters.

A prerecorded statement, posted for everyone to see, avoids any "inaccuracies” journalists might make when reporting on the subject, Rogers said. He said the superintendent may be available for interviews later this week.

The video was given to Silverfox's family and the first nation before it was released to the public, Rogers said, but he did not know if or how they had responded.

During the inquest, Silverfox's sister Deborah, his daughter Deanna Charlie and Little Salmon Chief Eddie Skookum all said they wanted a personal apology from the police, but Clark has still not spoken directly to the family, Rogers confirmed today.

In outlining the steps the RCMP have taken since the inquest, Clark noted five officers are currently under code-of-conduct investigations, while the two civilian guards working in cells the day Silverfox died are no longer at the RCMP detachment.

"One of these individuals, while still working for the Commissionaires, is no longer deployed in an RCMP facility,” Clark said. "A second individual has left by personal choice.”

All of the officers, however, remain on active duty.

Police are not releasing the names of the Mounties who face code-of-conduct hearings, although Rogers said they are among the 13 officers who gave evidence at the inquest and all had contact with Silverfox the day he died.

One officer, Const. Geoff Corbett, told the inquest he was being disciplined for his treatment of Silverfox.

The internal investigation will look at video and audio recordings of the cell block taken the day Silverfox died, as well as other evidence gathered by police and statements made at the inquest, Rogers said.

During the inquest, the two constables in charge of the cell block – Jeff Kalles and Dennis Connelly – denied making certain disrespectful comments which are shown in the audio transcript.

Rogers said the code-of-conduct investigators will look into the truthfulness of their statements to the jury.

Clark reiterated what was said during the inquest and since about changes in RCMP policy since Silverfox's death. Better record keeping, tighter supervision and more extensive training have all been implemented since his death.