News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Medical Distress while in Long Sault OPP Cells
Case Number: 24-PCI-534
In the early morning of December 16, 2024, a 34-year-old man was arrested for impaired driving. He was transported to the Long Sault Ontario Provincial Police Detachment where quantities of suspected fentanyl and cocaine were removed from his person. The man was placed in a cell. When the man was found to be snoring but otherwise unresponsive, Naloxone was administered, and the man was taken to hospital for treatment of a drug overdose. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s condition.
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES