News Release
SIU Concludes Injuries Investigation in Brampton
Case Number: 13-OCI-194
Mississauga (5 September, 2013) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ian Scott, has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge a Peel Regional Police officer with a criminal offence in relation to the injuries sustained by 37-year-old Ian Hanniford last month.
The SIU assigned two investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. As part of the investigation, seven witness officers and four civilian witnesses were interviewed. The subject officer declined to provide a statement or duty notes to the SIU, as is his legal right.
The SIU investigation found that the following events took place on Sunday, August 4, 2013:
• At approximately 10:30 p.m., officers responded to a noise call at a large plaza situated at Clarence Street and Kennedy Road. It was apparent that an establishment at that location was hosting a party, and people were milling about drinking from cups. Officers decided to conduct sobriety checks on drivers leaving the area. At the intersection of Kennedy and Tullamore Roads, officers pulled over the vehicle being driven by Mr. Hanniford.
• Mr. Hanniford was arrested when he refused to provide a breath sample. The subject officer placed a handcuff on Mr. Hanniford’s left wrist, and he was transported to 22 Division where he was released very early the next day.
• Mr. Hanniford went to Brampton Civic Hospital where he was diagnosed as sustaining a fracture of a bone in his left wrist.
Director Scott said, “A review of the cell video where Mr. Hanniford was lodged following the arrest showed Mr. Hanniford completing three sets of 35 push-ups without apparent difficulty or pain. An expert medical opinion obtained by the SIU in this investigation suggests that someone with a recently fractured scaphoid bone of the nature suffered by Mr. Hanniford could not perform three sets of 35 push-ups without apparent difficulty or pain. As a result, it is a mystery how Mr. Hanniford fractured this bone in his left wrist. Without being able to attribute the injury to the actions of the subject officer, I cannot form grounds to believe that the officer was responsible for Mr. Hanniford’s fractured wrist bone.”
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