News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Trenton Injuries
Case Number: 12-PCI-001
Mississauga (15 March, 2012) --- The Acting Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge two officers with OPP Quinte West with any criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by 32-year-old Glen Horne in December of 2011.
The SIU assigned three investigators and one forensic investigator to probe the circumstances of this incident. One of the subject officers was interviewed. The other subject officer declined to be interviewed or supply his notes, as was his right. Seven witness officers were designated and eight civilian witnesses were interviewed.
The SIU investigation found that the following events took place on Saturday, December 31:
• Mr. Horne was subject to a curfew of 9:00 p.m. by the terms of a recognizance. When he left his residence at about 10:00 p.m., police were notified of the breach.
• Officers discovered Mr. Horne in the area of West Street. He ran from the officers as they gave chase on foot. One of the subject officers caught up with Mr. Horne on the lawn of an apartment complex and took him to the ground. Mr. Horne resisted his arrest, and continued to struggle with the officers even after his arms were handcuffed behind his back. Mr. Horne was finally placed in a waiting cruiser.
• There is evidence that during this time Mr. Horne was able to kick two officers, prompting one of the subject officers to strike Mr. Horne.
• While in the cruiser, Mr. Horne repeatedly struck with his head the back passenger’s window (which had bars on it) and the partition separating the front and back seats.
• Mr. Horne was taken to hospital where he was found to have a fractured cheekbone.
Acting Director Martino said, “Critical here is the evidence of several residents of the area who happened to be in the vicinity at the time and observed the officers dealing with Mr. Horne, either before or after Mr. Horne was handcuffed. None of the residents observed any of the officers punching or kicking Mr. Horne. They did, however, indicate that Mr. Horne struggled with the officers throughout the encounter. Even after he was handcuffed, it appeared to some of the residents that Mr. Horne was trying to kick the officers. They observed Mr. Horne going to the ground with some of the officers near the cruiser, but none of the witnesses felt what they had seen was particularly violent or untoward.”
Acting Director Martino concluded, “There is no reason to believe, in my view, that Mr. Horne’s facial fractures were the result of excessive force used by the police during his arrest. Indeed, it may well be that Mr. Horne’s fractures were self-inflicted in the police cruiser en route to the police station.”
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