News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Cobourg Arrest
Case Number: 19-OCI-309
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest last month of a 22-year-old man by Cobourg Police Service (CPS) officers.
On December 22, 2019, CPS officers attended a residence in relation to a domestic incident and arrested a 22-year-old man. Upon being handcuffed, the man complained of pain to his left arm. As a result, the man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured left clavicle.
Director Martino said, “Based upon the evidence obtained during the course of the investigation, it was determined that the man’s injury was sustained when he fell from his e-bike earlier in the day, prior to the domestic incident to which officers responded. As it is evident that there is patently nothing to investigate as far as any potential criminal liability on the part of any CPS officer is concerned in connection with the man’s injury, the investigation is hereby discontinued, and the file is 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