News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Woman’s Arrest in Niagara Falls
Case Number: 21-OCI-269
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 50-year-old woman in July by police officers with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS).
On July 10, 2021, the woman was apprehended in Niagara Falls by NRPS officers under the Mental Health Act. The following month, believing that her left wrist had been broken in the course of her apprehension, the woman made a complaint to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director. The complaint then went to the NRPS, and then to the SIU on August 23, 2021.
Medical examination confirmed that the woman did not sustain any fracture of her wrist. Director Martino determined that as no serious injury was sustained for purposes of the SIU’s mandate, the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction to continue with the investigation. 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