News Release
No Charges to Issue in Kitchener Drug Overdose Case
Case Number: 20-OOD-318
Other News Releases Related to Case 20-OOD-318
A 43-year-old woman passed away of a drug overdose on November 22, 2020 in Kitchener. As Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officers had interacted with her in the hours before her death, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was notified and opened a file. Two WRPS officers were identified as subject officials for purposes of the SIU’s investigation. SIU Director, Joseph Martino, determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that either subject official committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman’s death. 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=1444
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
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SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES