News Release
Toronto Police Officers Charged
Case Number: 12-TCI-163
Mississauga (31 August, 2012) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has reasonable grounds to believe that three officers with the Toronto Police Service (TPS) committed a criminal offence in relation to injuries sustained by 26-year-old Stalin Kiprotich in June of 2012. Director Scott has caused a charge to be laid against the officers.
The SIU investigation determined that at approximately 8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4, 2012, Mr. Kiprotich was arrested near Kipling Avenue and Finch Avenue West. During the arrest process, there was an interaction between the officers and Mr. Kiprotich. He was lodged in a cell, but was taken to hospital in the early morning hours after complaining of a sore chest. He was diagnosed with three fractured ribs.
As a result of the SIU investigation, TPS Detective Constable Jason Davis, Detective Constable Keith Osborne and Detective Brian Kay are each facing one charge of Assault Causing Bodily Harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada.
The officers are required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 1000 Finch Avenue West in Toronto on October 9, 2012. The Justice Prosecutions branch of the Ministry of the Attorney General will have carriage of the prosecution.
As this matter is now before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the charged officers and the community, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
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