News Release
No Basis for Proceeding with Charges in Sexual Assault Allegation Case Involving Officers with Waterloo Regional Police Service
Case Number: 20-OSA-342
On December 8, 2020, the Waterloo Regional Police Service contacted the SIU to report that a woman whom they had taken into custody on November 29, 2020 – the Complainant – had come forward with information alleging that she was sexually assaulted at the police station following her arrest. The SIU commenced an investigation and identified two officers as subject officials for purposes of the investigation. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that either subject official committed a criminal offence in connection with the allegation.
Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, 2019, the Director may exercise a discretion to not publish a Director's Report dealing with the reported sexual assault of a person where the person's privacy interests in not having the report published clearly outweighs the public interest in having the report published, subject to prior consultation with the person. Upon consultation with the person in this case, the Director has decided to publish the report.
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