News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Apprehension of Woman in Kitchener
Case Number: 19-OCI-131
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred last month between a 23-year-old woman and officers with the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS).
In the early morning hours of June 10, 2019, WRPS officers were dispatched to locate the woman. Officers found the woman on Queen Street South in Kitchener, apprehended her under the Mental Health Act and transported her to hospital. The following day, the woman contacted the police to advise them that she had sustained a concussion during her apprehension.
Interim Director Martino said, “On this record as established by the SIU’s preliminary inquiries which included the review of medical records, I am not satisfied that there is sufficient evidence of a concussion and, therefore, a “serious injury”, such as would engage the SIU’s jurisdiction. 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