News Release
SIU Terminates Hanover Investigation as Man’s Injuries Occurred Prior to Contact with Police
Case Number: 19-OCI-263
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest last month of a 65-year-old man in Hanover.
On November 6, 2019, the man was arrested by Hanover Police Service officers in relation to an assault. He was taken to the Hanover Police Service station and lodged in a cell. When the man complained of pain in his right hand, he was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with fractured fingers of the right hand.
Interim Director Martino said, “The man’s injuries occurred when he fell sometime before he came into contact with police. As there is no suggestion to believe the man was the subject of any untoward conduct on the part of the police, I am satisfied there is patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned. Accordingly, 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