News Release
SIU Discontinues Huntsville Investigation after Determining Man Did Not Sustain Serious Injury
Case Number: 21-PCI-047
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an incident last month in Huntsville.
On the morning of February 11, 2021, a 32-year-old man was arrested and lodged in a police cell at the OPP Huntsville Detachment. At approximately 12:30 p.m., when it appeared that the man was unwell, paramedics were called, attended the detachment, and transported him to hospital. The man was placed under observation at hospital and released back into the custody of the OPP at about 6:35 p.m.
Director Martino said, “Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, I am satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued at this time. On this record, it would not appear that the man suffered any “serious injury” for purposes of the SIU mandate. Accordingly, 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