Director's Report Details

The Special Investigations Unit is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving an official where there has been death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019 (SIU Act), officials are defined as police officers, special constables of the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers under the Legislative Assembly Act. The SIU’s jurisdiction covers more than 50 municipal, regional and provincial police services across Ontario.

Under the SIU Act, the Director of the SIU must determine based on the evidence gathered in an investigation whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal offence was committed. If such grounds exist, the Director has the authority to lay a criminal charge against the official. Alternatively, in cases where no reasonable grounds exist, the Director cannot lay charges. Where no charges are laid, a report of the investigation is prepared and released publicly, except in the case of reports dealing with allegations of sexual assault, in which case the SIU Director may consult with the affected person and exercise a discretion to not publicly release the report having regard to the affected person’s privacy interests.

Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019

Pursuant to section 34, certain information may not be included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• The name of, and any information identifying, a subject official, witness official, civilian witness or affected person.
• Information that may result in the identity of a person who reported that they were sexually assaulted being revealed in connection with the sexual assault.
• Information that, in the opinion of the SIU Director, could lead to a risk of serious harm to a person.
• Information that discloses investigative techniques or procedures.
• Information, the release of which is prohibited or restricted by law.
• Information in which a person’s privacy interest in not having the information published clearly outweighs the public interest in having the information published.

Freedom of Information and Protection of Personal Privacy Act

Pursuant to section 14 (i.e., law enforcement), certain information may not be included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• Confidential investigative techniques and procedures used by law enforcement agencies; and
• Information that could reasonably be expected to interfere with a law enforcement matter or an investigation undertaken with a view to a law enforcement proceeding.

Pursuant to section 21 (i.e., personal privacy), protected personal information is not included in this report. This information may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• The names of persons, including civilian witnesses, and subject and witness officials;
• Location information;
• Witness statements and evidence gathered in the course of the investigation provided to the SIU in confidence; and
• Other identifiers which are likely to reveal personal information about individuals involved in the investigation.

Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004

Pursuant to this legislation, any information related to the personal health of identifiable individuals is not included.

Other proceedings, processes, and investigations

Information may also have been excluded from this report because its release could undermine the integrity of other proceedings involving the same incident, such as criminal proceedings, coroner’s inquests, other public proceedings and/or other law enforcement investigations.

Pursuant to section 15 of the SIU Act, the SIU may investigate the conduct of officials, be they police officers, special constables of the Niagara Parks Commission or peace officers under the Legislative Assembly Act, that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.

A person sustains a “serious injury” for purposes of the SIU’s jurisdiction if they: sustain an injury as a result of which they are admitted to hospital; suffer a fracture to the skull, or to a limb, rib or vertebra; suffer burns to a significant proportion of their body; lose any portion of their body; or, as a result of an injury, experience a loss of vision or hearing.

In addition, a “serious injury” means any other injury sustained by a person that is likely to interfere with the person’s health or comfort and is not transient or trifling in nature.

This report relates to the SIU’s investigation into the serious injury of a 19-year-old male (the “Complainant”).

Notification of the SIU[1]

On December 21, 2025, at 6:29 a.m., the Brantford Police Service (BPS) contacted the SIU with the following information.

At 3:09 a.m., BPS responded to a call involving a disturbance between a male and a female at a residence in the area of Colborne Street East and Clarence Street South in Brantford. While at the door, officers heard activity inside the unit. A male [subsequently identified as the Complainant] climbed out a window and ran across the roof. The male jumped to a landing and then to the ground where he was quickly apprehended. Officers established that the male and female were on conditions not to communicate with each other, and they were both arrested for breach of those conditions. The male complained of having a sore foot. He was taken to Brantford General Hospital (BGH) and diagnosed with a broken ankle.

The Team

Date and time team dispatched: 2025/12/21 at 7:39 a.m.

Date and time SIU arrived on scene: 2025/12/21 at 10:40 a.m.

Number of SIU Investigators assigned: 3

Number of SIU Forensic Investigators assigned: 0

Affected Person (aka “Complainant”):

19-year-old male; interviewed; medical records obtained and reviewed

The Complainant was interviewed on December 23, 2025.

Civilian Witness

CW Not interviewed; declined

Subject Officials

SO #1 Declined interview and to provide notes, as is the subject official’s legal right

SO #2 Declined interview and to provide notes, as is the subject official’s legal right

Witness Officials

WO #1 Not interviewed; notes and body-worn camera (BWC) footage reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

WO #2 Not interviewed; notes and BWC footage reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

WO #3 Not interviewed; notes and BWC footage reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

WO #4 Not interviewed; notes and BWC footage reviewed, and interview deemed unnecessary

The Scene

The events in question transpired on and around an exterior staircase adjacent the east wall of a residence in the area of Colborne Street East and Clarence Street South in Brantford.

Physical Evidence

The newly constructed wooden staircase led from the rooftop of a building to the ground below. The staircase was surrounded by temporary construction fencing and was beside a paved footpath. The height from the railing at the halfway landing to the ground was approximately three metres.

Video/Audio/Photographic Evidence[2]

BPS BWC Footage – SO #1, SO #2, WO #1, WO #2, WO #3 and WO #4

On December 21, 2025, starting at about 3:16 a.m., WO #1 and WO #2 arrived at the residence and stood outside a unit, located on the second floor. The CW and Complainant shouted from inside the apartment. WO #1 knocked and called out to the CW, who came out into the hallway.

Starting at about 3:20 a.m., SO #2 and SO #1 were outside behind the apartment building, near a wooden staircase that led to the roof. A shirtless Complainant appeared on the staircase. SO #2 told him he was under arrest and to stop. The Complainant scaled the midway point railing and jumped over a construction fence to the ground below. He landed on uneven surface between a concrete path and dirt ground, and called out in pain. The Complainant tried to get up but was held down by SO #2, SO #1 and WO #3. WO #2 arrived and assisted in the arrest. The Complainant complained of pain in his legs and was placed in the rear of a police cruiser.

WO #1 had run around the back of the building to assist when the CW ran behind screaming obscenities. WO #3, WO #4 and SO #2 assisted WO #1 in the arrest of the CW, who was resisting arrest. The CW kicked at officers, struggled against them and screamed vulgarities. WO #3 stood up the CW, who continued to struggle against officers by kicking and pulling away from them. WO #4 grounded the CW again.

BPS Communications Recordings

On December 21, 2025, WO #1 and WO #2 were dispatched to a residence in the area of Colborne Street East and Clarence Street South in Brantford, at 3:19 a.m., for a disturbance between the Complainant and the CW. They were advised of a no-contact order in effect between them. SO #2 and SO #1 positioned themselves outside the building and reported they could see the Complainant inside. He appeared upset and was arguing with someone. WO #1 reported she could hear the Complainant and the CW screaming. The officers outside reported there was access to the rooftop from the apartment.

At 3:20 a.m., the Complainant exited a window and ran across the roof. He climbed down the stairs and jumped from the railing.

The Complainant was in custody at 3:21 a.m. He complained of an injury to his ankle.

The CW was in custody at 3:22 a.m. for causing a disturbance and assaulting police.

Materials Obtained from Police Service

Between December 22, 2025, and February 4, 2026, the SIU obtained the following records from BPS:

• BWC footage – SO #1, SO #2, WO #1, WO #2, WO #3 and WO #4
• In-car camera footage – SO #2 and WO #4
• General Occurrence Report
• Judicial release order and non-communication order – the Complainant
• BPS Booking Record – the Complainant
• Communications recordings
• Computer-aided Dispatch (CAD) Report
• Photographs
• Notes – WO #1, WO #2, WO #3 and WO #4
• BPS policies – Arrest

Materials Obtained from Other Sources

On January 14, 2025, the SIU obtained the following records from the following other sources:

• The Complainant’s medical records from BGH
• Video footage from the residence.

The material events in question are clear on the evidence collected by the SIU and may briefly be summarized.

In the early morning of December 21, 2025, BPS were called to a residence in the area of Colborne Street East and Clarence Street South in Brantford. A resident of the building had called police to report a disturbance coming from another unit. WO #1 and WO #2 attended at the scene and knocked at the door.

The disturbance involved the Complainant and the CW. The Complainant was subject to an order at the time preventing contact and communication with the CW. Realizing police were outside the door and that he would be arrested for breaching the order, the Complainant attempted to escape apprehension. He climbed through a window of his second floor unit onto the roof of an adjoining structure, ran across the roof to an exterior staircase and started to descend.

The SO #1 and SO #2 had also responded to the disturbance call and were outside as WO #1 and WO #2 entered. They observed the Complainant running on the roof and were waiting for him at the bottom of the staircase. When the Complainant jumped over the staircase railing at the midway landing and collapsed on the ground below, the officers approached to take him into custody.

The Complainant complained of pain to his right foot and was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken right ankle.

The Complainant was seriously injured in the course of his arrest by BPS officers on December 21, 2025. The SIU was notified of the incident and initiated an investigation, naming SO #1 and SO #2 subject officials. The investigation is now concluded. On my assessment of the evidence, there are no reasonable grounds to believe that either subject official committed a criminal offence in connection with the Complainant’s arrest and injury.

There are no questions raised in the evidence regarding the lawfulness of the Complainant’s arrest. The evidence indicates that he was present with the CW in violation of a judicial release order.

There are also no concerns in the evidence regarding inappropriate force or a lack of care by police. The Complainant jumped of his own volition, breaking his ankle in the process, and his arrest thereafter was largely uneventful with no strikes or significant force of any kind being brought to bear.

For the foregoing reasons, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case. The file is closed.

Date: April 20, 2026

Electronically approved by

Joseph Martino

Director

Special Investigations Unit