News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Arrest of Man in Barrie
Case Number: 21-OCI-004
In the afternoon of January 1st, 2021, Barrie Police Service officers were dispatched to a residence to investigate a domestic incident that had been reported. Officers entered the home and located a 45-year-old man lying on a bed. On his hip was a leather sheath containing a knife with a long blade. When the man did not respond to the officers, the officers left the residence until further assistance arrived. Four officers then entered the home and an interaction ensued with the man, including the discharge of conducted energy weapons by three of the officers. The man dropped the knife and was apprehended after a period of struggle. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an arresting officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and his injuries, namely a fractured nose and orbital bone.
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