News Release
No Basis to Charge Police Officer in Relation to Collision that Proceeded Pursuit in Hamilton
Case Number: 20-OVI-264
On October 12, 2020, a 30-year-old man was arrested in Hamilton following a brief motor vehicle pursuit and subsequently taken to hospital where he was reportedly diagnosed with a fractured right finger. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the pursuing Hamilton Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the pursuit and the man’s injury.
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