News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Windsor Interaction
Case Number: 19-OCI-299
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred earlier this month between a 34-year-old man and a Windsor Police Service officer.
On December 6, 2019, the man was arrested by police officers on outstanding warrants. When he complained that he wasn’t feeling well, he was transported to hospital for examination. The man managed to escape from the hospital, but soon after was located and arrested by a Windsor Police Service officer. The man was returned to the hospital for treatment of teeth injuries.
Interim Director Martino said, “Upon investigators speaking with the man and reviewing his medical records, I am satisfied that his injuries – two upper front teeth broken horizontally at the mid-point – do not constitute a “serious injury” for purposes of the SIU’s statutory mandate. Accordingly, as it is clear based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries that the unit is without jurisdiction to proceed with an investigation, 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