News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Arrest of Man in Sarnia
Case Number: 17-OCI-310
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 26-year-old man by Sarnia Police Service (SPS) officers in October of 2017.
On the morning of October 25, 2017, SPS officers entered a residence in the area of George Street and East Street North to arrest a man wanted on outstanding warrants. At some point during the interaction, a SPS officer deployed a conducted energy weapon multiple times. The man was taken to hospital where it was found he did not have any serious injury.
Director Loparco said, “Medical reports confirmed the man did not suffer a serious injury as a result of the interaction with police. As such, this investigation has been terminated.”
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