News Release
No Criminal Wrongdoing on Part of Officers in Relation to Arrest of Machete-Wielding Man in Newmarket
Case Number: 17-OCI-220
Other News Releases Related to Case 17-OCI-220
SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Interaction between Man and Police Officers in Newmarket
On August 21, 2017, York Regional Police (YRP) officers attended a commercial plaza on Yonge Street in Newmarket as a man had been seen in possession of a machete. Officers located the man, and he eventually dropped the weapon. After a struggle with officers, the man was arrested. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any YRP officer in relation to the serious injury sustained by the 40-year-old man during his arrest.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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