News Release
SIU Lays Charge Against Police Officer in Relation to London Incident
Case Number: 19-OCI-034
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service (LPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the arrest of a 54 year-old man in February 2019. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that on Sunday, February 10, 2019, a 54-year old injured man was taken to the Emergency Department of Victoria Hospital in London by a Good Samaritan. While there, a police officer, who was in the Emergency Department on an unrelated matter, learned that there was an outstanding warrant for the man’s arrest. The subject officer attended Victoria Hospital to arrest the man. There was an interaction and the man sustained serious injuries.
As a result of the SIU investigation, LPS Constable Travis Buckle 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 80 Dundas Street in London on April 15, 2019.
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