News Release
No Basis for Criminal Charges in Relation to Welland Arrest
Case Number: 20-OCI-010
In the evening of January 18, 2020, a 38-year-old man was arrested inside his home by Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) officers. He was subsequently taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion and an old fracture. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that a NRPS officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and concussion.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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