News Release
Man’s Injury While Lodged at Bracebridge OPP Detachment was Self-inflicted; SIU Terminates Investigation
Case Number: 19-PCI-270
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the injury sustained by a 32-year-old man last month while lodged in a police cell in Bracebridge.
On the morning of November 12, 2019, the man was lodged in a cell at the Ontario Provincial Police Bracebridge Detachment. At approximately 11:30 a.m., the man jumped up while swinging his right hand at the cell ceiling. The man immediately cradled his right hand following the swing. He suffered a fracture of his right hand.
Interim Director Martino said, “The video recording of the man’s stay in cells captured the moment of the injury. It is apparent based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries that the man and he alone is to blame for his fractured right hand. Consequently, as there is patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer is concerned in connection with the incident, 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