News Release
Injury in OPP Leamington Detachment Cell Self-Inflicted; SIU Discontinues Investigation
Case Number: 19-PCI-099
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained last month by a 25-year-old man while he was lodged in an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) cell.
On April 21, 2019, the man was arrested by members of the OPP Leamington Detachment for disobeying a court order. He was lodged in a cell at approximately 5 p.m. At about 9:30 p.m., the man threw a punch with his right hand and struck the right side of the cell door frame. The man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with having sustained a fractured right hand, commonly known as a boxer’s fracture.
Interim Director Martino said, “The cell video recording shows the man punching the cell door frame with his right hand, and quickly thereafter examining his right hand. As it is apparent that the man broke his own hand through no fault of anyone else, there is patently nothing further to investigate regarding the potential criminal liability of any police officer. Accordingly, this investigation is hereby discontinued and the file closed.”
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