News Release
SIU Lays Assault Charge against Toronto Police Service Officer
Case Number: 18-TCI-138
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe that a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the arrest of 48-year-old Shawn Blanchard in May of 2018. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation found that on May 5, 2018, several people called 911 to report that a man, later identified to be Mr. Blanchard, was interfering with vehicular traffic at the intersection of Danforth Road and Warden Avenue. As a result, TPS officers were dispatched, and Mr. Blanchard was arrested. He was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a serious injury.
As a result of the SIU investigation, TPS Sergeant Douglas Campbell has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at Old City Hall in Toronto on October 25, 2018.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to 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