News Release
SIU Lays Assault Charge Against Police Officer in Relation to Brampton Arrest
Case Number: 19-OCI-062
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe a Peel Regional Police (PRP) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the arrest of a 25-year-old man in March of 2019. As a result, Interim Director Martino has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that in the afternoon hours of March 25, 2019, the 25-year-old man was in the stairwell of an apartment building on Orenda Road when he was approached by PRP officers. The man fled, but soon after was arrested by police and subsequently released. Later that day, the man attended hospital where he was diagnosed with a serious injury. Two days later, the man notified the SIU of the injury he had sustained.
As a result of the SIU investigation, PRP Constable Scott Douglas has been charged with one count of assault, contrary to s. 266 of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 7755 Hurontario Street in Brampton on October 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