News Release
SIU Terminates Niagara Falls Investigation
Case Number: 21-OCI-155
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an incident that occurred in June of 2020. The SIU was notified of the incident on May 14, 2021 by the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS).
On June 24, 2020, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Welland by NRPS officers and taken to the police station where he was lodged in a cell. Sometime later, the man tried to hang himself using a blanket. Police personnel interfered, and the man tried to insert himself in the doorway and would not let the personnel close the cell door. They finally managed to push him back into the cell, but he placed his hand on the door and the door closed on his hand. The man was subsequently taken to hospital for examination of a hand injury.
Director Martino said, “Based on the review of his medical records, it is apparent that the man did not, in fact, suffer a serious injury on the date in question. Diagnostic imaging of the hand revealed that no fractures had been incurred. On this record, I am satisfied that the SIU is without statutory jurisdiction to investigate this matter. Accordingly, the investigation is hereby discontinued, and 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