News Release

No Criminal Wrongdoing Found in Relation to Man’s Arrest in Chatham-Kent

Case Number: 20-OCI-059   

Mississauga, ON (1 October, 2020) ---
Shortly after 1 a.m. on March 15, 2020, the Chatham-Kent Police Service received a 911 call from a woman reporting that her estranged partner had confronted her in the backyard of her home, was threatening her and had pointed a handgun at the garage door where she had sought refuge. Officers quickly located the person of interest – a 42-year-old man – emerging from his residence. When an officer called out to him, the man rode away on a bicycle. The officers pursued him in their cruisers for a short distance. The man then got off his bicycle, raised his arms as directed to do so, and was arrested and taken to the police station. He was subsequently transported to hospital where his fractured hand and possible concussion were diagnosed. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case and the file is closed.

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

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