Three Saskatoon firefighters have been found not guilty of assaulting and obstructing two police officers.
Provincial court Judge Barry Singer said Wednesday he believed the testimony of the firefighters, who say they were only horsing around when they were arrested and charged with assaulting and obstructing police.
"I'm happy it turned out the way it did," said Keith Walliser, one of the three firefighters.
Dozens of supporters applauded when the judge read out the verdict. A few had tears of relief in their eyes.
Jeff Tysdal, Cliff Hamilton, and Walliser were off-duty when the incident happened last summer. They were walking across a bridge after a celebration when they started play-fighting.
Police drove by at the same time, and thinking an assault was in progress, pulled over and tried to break it up.
There was a confrontation, and Constables Dylan Lisson and Christine Tallo-den said they were pushed and grabbed. The firefighters said they told the officers right away they were just fooling around.
Singer said he believed the firefighters' testimony, ruling police did not have reasonable grounds to physically intervene, or make any arrests.
He added one of the officers "gave confusing and contradictory evidence that was not supported, either by her partner, or any of the others who were there."
The judge also said he believes the officer "did not get pushed or struck or assaulted, nor did she do any of the things that she testified she did."
