News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Interaction that Occurred While Man Lodged in Hamilton Cell
Case Number: 20-OCI-140
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the injury sustained in June by a 22-year-old man in Hamilton.
On June 18, 2020, the man was arrested and transported to the Hamilton Police Service custody area, where he was lodged in a cell. While alone in the cell, the man sustained an injury to his hand. He was subsequently transported to hospital for treatment and determined to have a fracture to his hand.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, which included an interview with the man and a review of the video recording, it is evident that none of the officers involved in the man’s time in cells caused or contributed to what was a self-inflicted injury. Accordingly, 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