News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Man’s Injury While Lodged at Red Lake OPP Detachment
Case Number: 19-PCI-227
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the injury sustained last month by a 31-year-old man while he was lodged in a Red Lake OPP detachment cell.
In the evening hours of September 13, 2019 the man was arrested for public intoxication and lodged in a cell in the OPP Red Lake detachment. Approximately 40 minutes after he was placed in the cell, the man tripped over the toilet bowl and struck his head against the cell door. The man was transported to hospital by ambulance for treatment.
Interim Director Martino said, “The record establishes that the man was checked regularly while in cells and that medical attention was provided to him promptly following his fall. Consequently, as it is apparent based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries that there is no potential criminal liability arising on the part of any police officer/s in connection with the man’s period in custody and whatever injury he may have sustained as a result of his fall, the 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