News Release
SIU Terminates Hanover Investigation
Case Number: 20-OCI-274
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 42-year-old man that occurred in October of 2020.
On the evening of October 18, 2020, the man was arrested without incident at the Travellers Inn in Hanover and subsequently taken to the police station where he was placed in a cell. The following day, while being fingerprinted, the man complained of soreness to his left little finger. The man was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured left finger.
Director Martino said, “Following the SIU’s inquiries, it is apparent that there is patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of the police are concerned in connection with this incident. The evidence indicates that the man’s injury was sustained days before his arrest by police, and as such, it is clear that none of the police officers who had dealings with the man caused or contributed to his 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