News Release
As No Police Officer Caused Man’s Injury, SIU Terminates Kingston Investigation
Case Number: 18-OCI-185
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by an 18-year-old man last month in Kingston.
On June 19, 2018, Kingston Police Service officers attended the area of Gardiners Road and Princess Street in relation to an altercation between the man and other individuals. The man was arrested for the offence of assault and breach of probation, and taken to the police station where he was lodged in a cell. While in the cell, the man kicked the cell door hard with his right foot. He felt immediate pain and fell to the ground. The man later went to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractures to that foot.
Director Loparco said, “The investigation determined that no police officer caused or contributed to the man’s injury. 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