News Release
Due to Man’s Lack of Cooperation, SIU Terminates Toronto Investigation
Case Number: 18-TCI-328
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into an incident that occurred last month in Toronto involving a man and Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers.
The man contacted the SIU and reported that on November 1, 2018 he had attended the TPS 55 Division to file a complaint. While requesting the complaint form there was an interaction between himself and officers.
When SIU investigators met with the man he refused to cooperate with the interview. Numerous phone calls and voice messages were subsequently made but also went unanswered. After several SIU attempts, the man indicated that he no longer wanted to participate in an SIU investigation.
Director Loparco said, “The man does not want to participate in an SIU investigation and refused to provide a statement to SIU investigators. 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