News Release
No Charges Against Peel Police Officer in Man’s Arrest, Reportedly Broken Ribs
Case Number: 21-OCI-184
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Peel Regional Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a 38-year-old man’s arrest and reportedly broken ribs in Brampton last June.
On the evening of June 12, 2021, a Peel Regional Police officer arrested the man outside his home on Cranberry Crescent for public intoxication. The man resisted arrest and the officer took him to the ground. After he was arrested and put into the cruiser, the man banged his head on the partition inside the vehicle. The man was taken to hospital where he was reportedly diagnosed with two rib fractures on his left side.
Director Martino was unable to reasonably conclude that the officer used excessive force in the man’s arrest. Director Martino said while it was possible the man suffered broken ribs when he was put on the ground by the officer, he was satisfied that the officer comported himself lawfully in the interaction. 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=1582
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