News Release

No Criminal Wrongdoing Found in Relation to Man’s Apprehension in Brampton

Case Number: 20-OCI-160   

Mississauga, ON (25 January, 2021) ---
On July 1, 2020, Peel Regional Police officers were dispatched to an address in Brampton to check on the well-being of a 32-year-old man. When an officer decided to apprehend the man under the Mental Health Act, the man – who recognized that he was in mental distress and in need of his medication – peacefully surrendered. However, as the man was being escorted down the stairs, he began to resist his arrest. Officers took the man to the ground and attempted to hold him in place pending the arrival of an ambulance. Paramedics arrived, administered a sedative to the man and he was taken to hospital. There, he was diagnosed with a fractured ankle. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s 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

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