News Release
SIU Terminates Peterborough Investigation
Case Number: 20-OCI-333
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an incident that reportedly occurred in October of 2020.
On December 2, 2020, the Peterborough Police Service contacted the SIU to report that they were in receipt of information suggesting that a woman had suffered an injury at the hands of a police officer on October 15, 2020. The SIU commenced an investigation. When an SIU investigator contacted the woman by phone, the woman declined to participate in an interview and repeatedly stated there was no complaint.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, I am satisfied that the investigation ought to be discontinued at this time as the woman declined to discuss with SIU investigators any aspect of the incident. In the circumstances, the SIU is without any information to confirm whether it even has jurisdiction in the matter, nor is there a sufficient evidentiary foundation from which to proceed with an investigation even if jurisdiction was established. 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