Manitoba's police watchdog has taken over an investigation into an alleged assault by an off-duty police officer after the Winnipeg Police Service determined the accuser may have sustained permanent hearing loss.

​The Independent Investigation Unit is taking the lead on the investigation into the incident, in which a 32-year-old man says he was assaulted by an off-duty officer on March 27, 2017.

The Winnipeg Police Service advised the unit of the incident on April 10, 2018, shortly after it said it received a complaint from the 32-year-old man.
The man said he was punched and kneed by