News Release

Man’s Injury a Result of Punching Cell Wall; SIU Terminates Cobourg Investigation

Case Number: 18-OCI-103   

Mississauga, ON (17 May, 2018) ---
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 27-year-old man last month in Cobourg.

In the early morning hours of April 4, 2018, Cobourg Police Service officers attended a residence in the area of Division Street and County 2 Road in relation to a domestic situation. A man was arrested and taken to the police station where he was lodged in a cell. While in the cell, the man punched the cell wall with his right hand. He was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured metacarpal bone in his right hand.
  
Director Loparco said, “All the evidence clearly establishes that the man’s injury was self-inflicted. Accordingly, this investigation has been terminated.”

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must

  • consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
  • publicly report the results of its investigations

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