News Release
SIU Terminates Renfrew Investigation as Man’s Injury in Cell Determined to be Self-Inflicted
Case Number: 20-PCI-295
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury sustained by a 21-year-old man last month in Renfrew.
Around noon on November 3, 2020, Ontario Provincial Police officers arrested the man on an outstanding warrant, and then transported him to the OPP Renfrew detachment where he was lodged in a cell. While in the cell, the man punched the cell wall. When the man complained of pain to his hand, he was taken to hospital where it was determined that he had sustained a fractured finger.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, which included a review of the video recording capturing the man’s time in custody, I am satisfied that there is patently nothing to further investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officers are concerned. The man’s broken finger was the result of him punching the cell wall a number of times. In the circumstances, the SIU 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