News Release
No Charges Against Timmins Officers in Man’s Broken Collar Bone During Arrest
Case Number: 21-OCI-215
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that two Timmins Police Service officers committed a criminal offence in connection with a serious injury suffered by a 26-year-old man in the course of his arrest in Timmins last July.
On July 8, 2021, officers responded to a 911 call about a reported theft from a grocery store. The man, suspected in the theft, fled from a home on Toke Street. The man was then tackled from behind to the ground by an officer. The man refused to release his arms from under his torso and the officer struck the man’s upper body. The officers were able to release his arms and apply handcuffs.
The man was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured right collarbone.
Director Martino accepted that the use of force resulted in the man’s broken collarbone, but he found no reasonable grounds to believe that either official comported himself other than lawfully throughout the incident. 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=1633
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