News Release
No Reasonable Grounds to Lay Charges Against OPP Officers in Relation to Leamington Arrest
Case Number: 21-PCI-054
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that the force used by two Ontario Provincial Police Service (OPP) officers in arresting a 30-year-old male in Leamington was excessive.
On February 20, 2021, OPP officers responded to a call for a break and enter at a store in the area of Erie Street North and Clark Street West. OPP Officers attended and learned that the suspect had left the store on a bike. The attending officers broadcast the male’s description given by the store owner over the radio and then set out to search for him. Two officers located the male and arrested him. The male was taken to the station after his arrest and then transported to hospital.
Director Martino has concluded there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file is closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1394
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES