News Release
OPP Central Hastings Officers did not Cause or Contribute to Man’s Injuries; SIU Terminates Investigation
Case Number: 18-PCI-031
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the injuries sustained last month by a 25-year-old man.
At approximately 11 p.m. on February 2, 2018, Ontario Provincial Police officers with the Central Hastings detachment attended an apartment building in relation to a domestic incident. Police officers went to a second floor apartment unit, but it was unoccupied. At some point prior to police arrival, a man had jumped from the second floor balcony to the ground below. The following day, the man was located by police and he was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fracture to each of his ankles.
Director Loparco said, “The man’s injuries were a result of jumping from a second floor balcony. As police did not cause or contribute to his injuries, 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