News Release
SIU Appealing for Witnesses in Hamilton Custody Injury
Case Number: 14-OCI-230
Mississauga (10 October, 2014) --- Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is appealing for witnesses to an interaction involving a 36-year-old male and an off-duty officer with the Hamilton Police Service (HPS).
Preliminary information indicates the following:
- At approximately 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2014, there was an interaction between the man and the off-duty officer in the parking lot of a Lowe’s store 1945 Barton Street, in Hamilton.
- The officer was assisted by two male civilians.
The SIU has assigned three investigators to probe the circumstances of this incident. Anyone who may have witnessed this incident is asked to contact the lead investigator at 416-622-1965 or at 1-800-787-8529 ext 1965. In particular, investigators are interested in speaking with the two men who assisted the off-duty officer during the arrest.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php
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