News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman Seriously Injured During Arrest in London

Case Number: 24-OCI-407   

Mississauga, ON (22 January, 2025) ---
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury of a 43-year-old woman. On September 24, 2024, police were called to assist paramedics in relation to a woman in distress at an apartment in the area of Colborne and King Streets.

Director Joseph Martino was satisfied the force used taking the woman into custody was lawful. He said the officers’ negotiation efforts were not going anywhere and there was a risk the woman might use a knife to harm herself. He found it made sense to attempt to temporarily incapacitate the woman from a distance with a conducted energy weapon. An officer held a shield onto her torso, pinning her arms while an officer pried the knife from her grip. While she suffered cuts on her left hand in the process, Director Martino was unable to fault the officer in the circumstances.

The woman was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and treated for serious lacerations to her left hand.

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