News Release
SIU Lays Charge against Niagara Regional Police Officer
Case Number: 16-OCI-213
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has caused a charge to be laid against a Niagara Regional Police Service officer in relation to an August 2016 arrest.
The SIU investigation found the following:
- On August 16, 2016, police were dispatched to a drugstore in Niagara Falls to investigate a complaint of assault.
- A police officer located a man behind a business on Thorold Stone Road and placed him under arrest.
- There was an interaction between the man and the officer which resulted in serious injuries to the man.
As a result of the SIU investigation, Sergeant Michael Baxter is now charged with assault causing bodily harm, contrary to section 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines on November 14, 2016.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment.
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