News Release
No Charges Against Durham Police Officer in Sexual Assault Allegation
Case Number: 21-OSA-176
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Durham Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a woman who alleged she was sexually assaulted while being served traffic tickets last June.
On June 6, 2021, a woman alleged an officer touched her thighs in a sexual manner while she was being ticketed. Director Martino concluded that while the officer may have made contact with her person, the evidence fell short of reasonably establishing that it was sexual in nature. The file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1589
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES