News Release
SIU Lays Assault Charge Against Police Officer in Relation to Incident in Waterloo Detention Unit
Case Number: 20-OCI-049
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe a Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an interaction with a 44-year-old man in March of 2020. As a result, Director Martino has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation determined that on March 5, 2020, the man was arrested in the area of King Street East in Kitchener and transported to the WRPS Central Division Detention Unit. In the booking hall, the man became involved in an interaction with a police officer. The man was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with serious injuries.
As a result of the SIU investigation, WRPS Sergeant Paul Tranter has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 85 Frederick Street in Kitchener on July 8, 2020.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
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