News Release
SIU Determines No Criminal Offence Committed in Relation to Markham Arrest
Case Number: 20-OCI-094
On April 23, 2020, a 29-year-old man suffered a broken nose in the course of his arrest in Markham. An Ontario Provincial Police officer and a York Regional Police (YRP) officer – working together with the YRP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau – were the primary arresting officers and identified as the subject officers for purposes of the SIU investigation. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that either officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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