News Release
As Man’s Injury Occurred Prior to Interaction with Police, SIU Terminates Windsor Investigation
Case Number: 19-OCI-029
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred last month between a 37-year-old man and officers with the Windsor Police Service (WPS).
Shortly before noon on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, a security employee attempted to arrest a man for theft at a Home Depot in the area of Division Street in Windsor. The man fled, but after a brief time he was located by WPS officers and arrested. While at the police station, the man complained of pain. As a result, he was transported by ambulance to hospital where examination revealed a fractured right humerus. The injury had occurred during an incident days earlier.
Director Loparco said, “The man’s injury occurred prior to his contact with the police. As such, 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