News Release
No Grounds to Proceed with Charges in Relation to St. Catharines Arrest
Case Number: 19-OCI-030
In the evening hours of February 6, 2019, a 28-year-old man was arrested by Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) officers while in his residence in St. Catharines. The man was subsequently taken to hospital and diagnosed with a fractured right rib. The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against a NRPS officer in relation to this incident.
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