News Release
No Basis to Lay Charges in Relation to Arrest of Man in Richmond Hill, and his Subsequent Custody at the Police Station
Case Number: 18-OCI-361
Other News Releases Related to Case 18-OCI-361
SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Arrest of Man in Richmond Hill
On the morning of December 15, 2018, a 44-year-old man was arrested by York Regional Police officers following a brief standoff at his residence in Richmond Hill. The man was lodged in cells and subsequently taken to hospital when an officer noticed swelling over the knuckles of the man’s left hand. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any officer in relation to the man’s hand injury, likely caused when he banged his hand multiple times on the metal frame of the cell in which he was lodged.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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