News Release
SIU Finds Police Made No Physical Contact with Man Prior to his Fall in a St. Thomas Nursing Home; No Criminal Charges to Issue
Case Number: 17-PCI-153
On the night of June 22, 2017, Ontario Provincial Police officers with the Elgin County detachment attended a nursing home in St. Thomas to deal with an 86-year-old resident who had become aggressive with staff members and was threatening them. Shortly after the police officers arrived, the man swung an item at them and subsequently lost his balance and fell to the floor. The man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured hip. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any officer in relation to this incident.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=3040
The Director’s Report was delivered to the Attorney General, as is required by law under the Police Services Act. The Attorney General has directed that the document be posted online.
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
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SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES