News Release
Ottawa Police Officers Charged
Case Number: 14-OSA-104
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe that two officers with the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) committed a criminal offence against 32-year-old Ismael Awaleh in May of this year. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officers.
The SIU was notified of a complaint against the officers relating to an incident which was alleged to have taken place on May 1, 2014. As a result of the SIU investigation, OPS Constables Erin Cavan and Jordan Blonde are each charged with one count of Assault contrary to s. 266 of the Criminal Code of Canada.
Constables Cavan and Blonde are required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 161 Elgin Street, Ottawa, on December 16, 2014. 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 accused 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