Edmonton police adopt Const. Daniel Woodall fatality inquiry recommendations on search warrants

Edmonton police have accepted a judge's recommendations for changes to search warrant procedures following a provincial fatality inquiry into the 2015 death of Const. Daniel Woodall.

The inquiry was the last in a series of probes into the 35-year-old officer's death.

Woodall, a hate crimes investigator, was killed by Norman Raddatz, 42, while attempting to arrest Raddatz on a charge of criminal harassment at his west Edmonton home on June 8, 2015. Woodall was shot a number of times. Another officer was injured but survived.

Raddatz subsequently died after lighting his home on fire and shooting himself in the head.

Provincial court Judge Greg Lepp, who oversaw the inquiry which was held in April 2021, recommended Edmonton police update its search warrant policy to require officers who are planning to enter a dwelling to arrest someone to consider whether an alternative plan exists and detail what it is.

• Edmonton police finish internal investigations into Const. Dan Woodall's death

In a report with his findings published in March, Lepp also called on the police to update their policy to state that entering a home shouldn't be done if less invasive alternatives exist.

Lepp also found that the Edmonton Police Service's own operational review completed in 2018 had been thorough. 

Changes that EPS has already made that Lepp agrees were necessary include:

• Introducing new training for dealing with armed and barricaded persons;

• Including senior members of the service in discussions about tactical considerations for entering into dwellings;

• Turning the hate crimes detail into a the hate crimes and violent extremism unit;

• Clarifying the definition of a 'critical incident', which when triggered ensures a specially trained commander takes charge;

• Changing policy so that lock-picking isn't used during a life-threatening situation or if person inside a property isn't co-operating;

• And creating a more robust risk assessment for officers to complete before seeking a warrant to be able to enter a dwelling. 

EPS spokesperson Cheryl Sheppard declined an interview Wednesday, but said in a statement that Lepp's recommendations strengthen steps already taken by EPS. 

"As a service, we are committed to healing and moving forward in Dan's memory, which includes implementing the recommendations made by Judge Lepp. Dan's sacrifice will never be forgotten," Sheppard said. 

'Becoming angrier'

While details of Raddatz's deadly confrontation with police have been previously reported on, Lepp's report delves into greater detail about Raddatz's escalating and troubling behaviour.

The investigation that brought Woodall and the other officers to Raddatz's door in June 2015 began in April 2015 when they received a complaint from a man who had been a business associate and casual friend to Raddatz. 

The men had been camping, fishing and hunting together until a business meeting one day when the man removed a hat, revealing his yarmulke. According to the report, upon realizing the man was Jewish, Raddatz made an anti-Semitic remark and then began a campaign of harassment, targeting both the man and his wife.

Raddatz took to social media disparaging the man, baselessly accusing him of spousal abuse and insulting his wife.

While none of the messages were threatening, the man became fearful for his wife's safety because she was often home alone and Raddatz knew where they lived.

When the man reported Raddatz to police, he told hate crimes investigators that Raddatz had guns and was "a pretty good shot." At the time, Raddatz had an expired firearms licence.

Police also learned that Raddatz was having difficulties in his personal life.

"Mr. Raddatz was becoming angrier over time, he was drinking heavily, and he was missing work. Hate Crimes also learned that Mr. Raddatz expressed distrust of the authorities," the report states.

Judges overseeing fatality inquiries cannot assign blame for a death, but they can make recommendations about how to prevent similar deaths in the future.