The Winnipeg Police Association is standing by the officers involved in the death of seventeen-year-old Michael Langan.
Langan died Tuesday after being tasered by Winnipeg police, who say he had a knife and refused to drop it despite repeated demands from police.
Union president Mike Sutherland said he can't talk about the specific incident, but says any time an officer is involved in a death, it has a lasting affect.
"It's pretty devastating," he explained. "There's no easy way to transition from a scenario where you know that, as a result to being placed in a situation like that, someone has lost their life... especially a young man.
"I think that compounds the difficulty for the officers. It's one of those things that you don't ever truly get past; you do your best to adjust to it."
Officers are offered counseling after being involved in serious incidents.
The two officers involved in Langan's death have approximately eight years combined experience on the job.
Because this is an officer involved fatality, the Winnipeg Police Homicide Unit is investigating. After it has finished, an outside police agency will also review the case.
That review goes to the Attorney General, and then there's a mandatory inquest into the teen's death.
The association maintains is waiting for the investigations to be completed, but insists it has every confidence in the ability of its officers.
