News Release
Investigation into Man’s Arrest and Injury in Brantford Discontinued as Special Constables Out of Jurisdiction
Case Number: 24-OCI-443
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into a broken rib suffered by a 48-year-old man last October.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including an interview with the man and a review of video footage that largely captured the incident, on October 16, 2024, the man was arrested in Brantford following a physical altercation with several officers. A couple of days later, while again in police custody on an unrelated matter, the man complained of broken ribs from his arrest on October 16, 2024. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a right-sided rib fracture. The evidence found the injury was very likely the result of one or more knee strikes delivered by a special constable, among the officers who participated in the arrest of the man on October 16, 2024. As special constables are not captured by the SIU’s statutory jurisdiction, the file has been closed.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES