News Release
SIU Terminates Death Investigation in Oro-Medonte Township
Case Number: 18-PCD-108
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-PCD-108
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the death of a 59-year-old man last month in Oro-Medonte Township.
At approximately 9:30 p.m. on April 6, 2018, Ontario Provincial Police officers from the Barrie detachment attended a residence to do a compliance check on the man. At the front door, the officers spoke with the man and a family member. The man was given the option to go with the police officers at that time, or turn himself in the following day. The man chose the latter option, and the officers left. The following morning, a family member went into the basement and found that the man had hanged himself from the ceiling.
Director Loparco said, “The evidence makes clear that the conduct of the two officers in exercising their discretion to allow the man to attend the OPP detachment the next day rather than arresting him at the time of their contact with him, at his residence, can in no way, in these circumstances, make them legally responsible for the man taking his own life. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
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