News Release
SIU Lays Assault Charges against Two Peterborough Police Service Officers
Case Number: 17-OCI-202
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe two Peterborough Police Service (PPS) officers committed criminal offences in relation to the arrest of a 60-year-old man in August of 2017. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against each officer.
The SIU investigation found the following:
- At approximately 2 p.m. on August 3, 2017, the officers attended a commercial/residential building located in the area of Water Street and Simcoe Street as a result of receiving a call about a man causing a disturbance.
- The officers went to the second floor, where they were involved in an interaction with the 60-year-old man.
- The man was arrested and taken to the police station.
- He was then transported by ambulance to hospital where he was diagnosed with serious injuries.
As a result of the SIU investigation, PPS Constable Tim Fish and PPS Constable Geunwoo Kim have each been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officers are required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 70 Simcoe Street in Peterborough on February 15, 2018.
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 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