News Release

News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Brantford Arrest of Man

Case Number: 25-OCI-457   

Mississauga, ON (10 March, 2026) ---
In the evening of November 12, 2025, Brantford Police Service officers attended an apartment after a resident had contacted police to report that an inebriated man was in her apartment and she wanted him removed. The officers entered the apartment and approached the man in the living room. The man was seated on a sofa and speaking on the phone with a police call-taker. When the man walked towards the door, the officers took a hold of his arms. The man attempted to free his arms and the officers maintained their grip. Other officers intervened and the man fell forward to the floor, striking his head off the edge of a wall in the process. The man was handcuffed and taken into custody. Following his arrest, the man was transported to hospital and diagnosed with a reduced level of consciousness and a scalp laceration with emphysema and subgaleal hematoma. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injuries.

Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.

If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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