News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation in Guelph
Case Number: 07-OCI-161
On August 10, 2007, two SIU investigators started an investigation after learning about a young man's allegations that he had suffered serious injuries during an altercation with Guelph Police Service (GPS) officers on August 5. As a first step, investigators gathered medical information to verify the nature of the youth's injuries. Investigators obtained medical records and conducted an interview with the treating physician. They also spoke with the young man himself. All of the evidence confirmed that the young man did not suffer punctured eardrums or any other serious injury.
Consequently the Director of the SIU, James Cornish, has terminated this investigation based on the fact there is no serious injury and accordingly does not fall within this investigative mandate of the SIU.
If you or someone you know has been negatively affected by an incident under SIU investigation and would like support, the Affected Persons Program is here to help. You can reach us at 1-877-641-1897. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7, every day of the year.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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