News Release
No Charges Against Brantford Police Officer in ARWEN Discharge at Knife-Wielding Man in Distress
Case Number: 21-OFP-351
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-OFP-351
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Brantford Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with discharging an Anti-Riot Weapon Enfield (ARWEN) at a 37-year-old man last October.
On October 19, 2021, officers went to the man’s residence near Park Road North and Dunsdon Street following a 911 call for a man with a knife in distress. The man ran toward officers, ignoring police commands to stop and show his hands. The subject official discharged his ARWEN at the man. He was not seriously injured.
Director Martino said he was satisfied that the subject official, in the seconds he had to act, comported himself reasonably when he endeavoured to neutralize a potentially lethal threat with a resort to less-lethal force as the man neared to within a few metres of the officers. The force accomplished its objective – stopping the man in his tracks so that he could be safely taken into custody. 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