News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Actions of Hamilton and Halton Police Officers
Case Number: 22-OCI-047
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the hospitalization of a 41-year-old man on February 16, 2022. The investigation involved the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) and the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS).
On the morning of this date, the man was lawfully arrested by HPS officers on the strength of an arrest warrant held by the HRPS. The arrest was without incident. However, as the man was highly intoxicated and bleeding from the mouth, the officers took him to hospital in Hamilton to be examined. Once cleared at the hospital, the man was en route with one of the officers to be transferred into the custody of the HRPS. However, the man’s condition deteriorated markedly. Upon his arrival at the HRPS Central Lock-Up, the man was promptly taken to hospital and diagnosed as suffering from an overdose of alcohol and benzodiazepines.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino concluded that the officers who dealt with the man did not do, or fail to do, anything that caused or contributed to his condition in a fashion that could attract criminal sanction. Accordingly, 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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES