News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Reported Serious Injuries of Man in Quinte West
Case Number: 21-PCI-199
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into a broken cheek and nose reportedly suffered by a man in the course of his arrest in June.
On June 26, 2021, OPP officers responded to a residence following a 911 call about the man who was harming himself. Officers used a measure of force to eventually apprehend the man under the Mental Health Act, and took him to hospital. Later, the man attended hospital again and it was determined that there were no facial fractures.
Director Martino concluded that without a serious injury within the terms of the SIU’s statutory mandate, the SIU was without jurisdiction in the matter. The file has been closed.
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
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SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES