News Release
SIU Charges Toronto Police Service Officer with Assault Causing Bodily Harm
Case Number: 19-TCI-104
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe a Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an interaction with a 36-year-old man in May of 2019. As a result, Interim Director Martino has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that at approximately 5 p.m. on May 5, 2019, TPS officers were conducting an investigation on George Street when they observed a man in the middle of the roadway. One of the officers approached the man, and there was an interaction. Soon after, an ambulance attended the scene and transported the man to hospital where he was diagnosed with a serious injury.
As a result of the SIU investigation, TPS Constable Robert Smith 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 Old City Hall in Toronto on October 31, 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