A Military Police Complaints Commission report released on Tuesday (March 10) on investigations into the suicide of Canadian Cpl. Stuart Langridge details a list of errors and failures by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service. This included a decision to withhold a suicide note for fourteen months that he had addressed to his family outlining his wishes for a funeral.
At a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Commission Chairperson Glenn M. Stannard told journalists “The Commission…concluded there were unacceptable errors, reflecting lack of professionalism and/or lack of competence, in the way the Military Police interacted and communicated with the Fynes [Langridge’s partents].”
In a few sentences, Stannard outlined Cpl Langridge’s story:
Corporal Langridge deployed overseas twice, to the former Yugoslavia in the fall of 2002, and to Afghanistan in 2004. He was described by his commanders as a “very reliable soldier who completed all tasks given to him on time and to a high standard.”
In the period following his return from overseas, Cpl Langridge suffered from a number of medical issues. He displayed symptoms consistent with depression and anxiety, and struggled with alcohol and substance abuse issues. There were suggestions that he may have suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, but no formal determination was ever made. His mental and physical health continued to deteriorate, and he made several suicide attempts.
On March 15, 2008, he took his own life at Canadian Forces Base Edmonton.
Despite making specific recommendations to deal with deficiencies in dealing with military suicides, the Commission points out that the Military Police has either rejected or failed to respond to all but a few. It has directly rejected recommendations based on the Commission’s assessment that the Military Police does not have adequate experience in Sudden Death investigations to justify having MP members acting as lead investigators.
After the first investigation of Cpl Langridge’s suicide in 2008, complaints by his parents about the handling of the case, provoked two more investigations.
The Military Police Complaints Commission was established in 1999 by the government of Canada to provide independent civilian oversight of the Canadian Forces Military Police.
More information:
Military Police Complaints Commission – Remarks of Commissioner on March 10, 2015 – here
Military Police Complaints Commission press release – Military Police Complaints Commission releases Final Report in Fynes Public Interest Hearing – here
Military Police Complaints Commission – Final Report on the Fynes Public Interest Hearing – MPCC 2011-004 – here
CBC News – Cpl. Stuart Langridge’s suicide mishandled by military, report finds – here
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