News Release
SIU Finds No Grounds to Charge Police Service Dog Handler in Relation to Bite Injuries Sustained by Man During Arrest Odessa
Case Number: 20-PCI-128
On June 2, 2020, a 30-year-old man suffered serious injuries to his left leg when he was bitten by a police service dog in the course of his arrest in Odessa. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the dog’s handler committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injuries.
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