News Release
No Charges Against Hanover Police Officers After Man’s Arm Broken in Arrest
Case Number: 21-OCI-278
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that two Hanover Police Service officers committed a criminal offence in connection with the broken arm suffered by a man during his arrest last August.
Police were initially called to an address on 7th Avenue after the man had reportedly broken into a flower shop. During a confrontation, an officer deployed his Conducted Energy Weapon at the man – resulting in his body locking up and him falling to the ground. The man was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and subsequently diagnosed with a fractured right arm.
Director Martino concluded that the force used by the officers was legally justified as the man was brandishing a shovel and broken beer bottle at the time the CEW was discharged. Accordingly, the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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