News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Reported Injury During Kitchener Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-366
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest and injuries suffered by a 25-year-old man. On August 30, 2024, officers were called to a property near Ottawa Street North and King Street East in Kitchener for a disturbance. The officers arrested the man for assault.
Officers grounded the man as he resisted while he was being handcuffed. Director Joseph Martino found it unclear whether the man’s injuries were incurred in the altercation with police or prior to police arrival. Be that as it may, there were no reasonable grounds to believe they were attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the arresting officers.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES