News Release
Windsor Police Officers Charged
Case Number: 14-OCI-255
Mississauga (10 June, 2015) --- The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe two police officers with the Windsor Police Service (WPS) committed criminal offences in relation to the injury sustained by 24-year-old Matthew Jonsson in October of 2014. Director Loparco has caused charges to be laid against the officers.
The injury occurred around the time of Mr. Jonsson’s arrest in the morning hours of Sunday, October 26, 2014. As a result of the SIU investigation, WPS Constable Daniel Merlo and Constable Aaron Naklie are each facing Criminal Code of Canada charges.
Cst Merlo:
• One count of Assault with a Weapon, contrary to s. 267(a)
• One count of Assault Causing Bodily Harm, contrary to s. 267(b)
Cst Naklie:
• One count of Aid and Abet an Assault with a Weapon, contrary to s. 267(a)
• One count of Assault Causing Bodily Harm, contrary to s. 267(b)
The officers are required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 200 Chatham Street East in Windsor on July 13, 2015. 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