News Release
SIU Terminates Cornwall Investigation
Case Number: 18-OCI-148
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred last month between an 18-year-old man and officers with the Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS).
On the night of May 19, 2018, two CCPS officers were working paid duty for an event at the Best Western Hotel on Vincent Massey Drive. After hearing screaming from a vehicle in the parking lot, the officers went to investigate. As a result of the investigation, one individual from the vehicle was arrested. During the arrest, the man struck his head on the ground. He was transported by ambulance to the hospital for treatment.
Director Loparco said, “The medical evidence establishes the man did not suffer a serious injury. As such, I am terminating 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