When RCMP officers arrested Addison Hartzler, the 30-year-old was paranoid, agitated and sweating profusely — convinced someone was trying to break into his Grande Prairie home. He had trouble spelling his own name, but still remembered to ask the police to feed his Pomeranian puppy, Ace, while he was in custody.
The next morning, Hartzler was dead.
Now, Hartzler’s family are slamming the Crown’s decision not to prosecute any of the officers involved, only one day after Alberta’s police watchdog released a report criticizing the RCMP’s handling of the case.
Gregory Hartzler said his son needed help, not time in a cell.
“He stated he was high. He appeared to be under (substance) induced psychosis,” Gregory Hartzler said. “If anybody looks at this, how can they reasonably believe he didn