News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation in London
Case Number: 06-OCI-177
Five SIU investigators were sent to London to investigate the circumstances surrounding the man's injury to determine what role, if any, the police played. The investigation revealed that an LPS officer on routine patrol saw a van traveling at high speed on Wharncliffe Road. A licence plate check revealed that the validation tag of the plate had expired and the van was stopped in the area of Wharncliffe and Bostwick Roads.
The officer approached the driver and requested identification. He then returned to his cruiser to investigate the driver while he waited for assistance to arrive.
When the officer returned to the driver of the van, he found the man had a stab wound to his abdomen. The man was transported to hospital where he was treated for his non-life threatening injury.
After reviewing the evidence gathered to date, the Director of the SIU has decided to terminate the investigation. Director James Cornish stated, "The evidence satisfies me that this man suffered a self-inflicted stab wound while the officer was in his cruiser. Based on the fact that, the officer in no way caused or contributed to the man's injury, there is nothing further to investigate."
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