News Release
SIU Terminates Ottawa Investigation
Case Number: 20-OFI-061
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-OFI-061
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred in March between Ottawa Police Service (OPS) officers and a 42-year-old man.
On the night of March 15, 2020, OPS officers were dispatched to an address on St. Laurent Boulevard for a disturbance call. Officers encountered the 42-year-old man, and became involved in an interaction with him which included the deployment of an Anti-Riot Weapon ENfield (ARWEN). The man was transported to hospital for treatment.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, it is apparent that the man did not sustain any serious injury. Accordingly, the SIU’s mandate is not engaged, 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