News Release
SIU Discontinues Bracebridge Investigation
Case Number: 20-PCI-345
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred in Bracebridge between Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers and a 43-year-old woman in October. The SIU was made aware of the incident on December 11, 2020.
On October 31, 2020, the woman attended hospital as she was experiencing a panic attack. When she walked outside to the ambulance bay parking area, she became involved in an interaction with two OPP officers. She later reported she had sustained serious injuries as a result of the interaction.
Investigators made repeated efforts to have the woman sign medical releases that would have allowed the SIU an avenue to verify the alleged injuries, but she refused to do so.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, I am satisfied that the SIU investigation should be discontinued at this time. As the SIU is unable to confirm the nature and extent of the woman’s injuries, if any, the SIU is presently without jurisdiction to investigate this matter. The file, accordingly, 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