News Release
SIU Terminates Hamilton Investigation
Case Number: 22-OCI-074
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OCI-074
SIU Investigating Reported Serious Injury of Man in Interaction with Hamilton Police Officer
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred between a police officer and a 53-year-old man last month at a Hamilton residence.
In the evening of March 8, 2022, two Hamilton Police Service officers attended a home in the area of Rymal Road East and Upper Sherman Avenue for a domestic dispute call. On the front porch of the home, a heated verbal exchange ensued between an officer and one of the occupants of the home, escalating to the point of a physical altercation. The officers eventually left the premises with no arrests made. Two days later, the man reported to the police service that his wrist had been injured.
The medical records did not disclose any serious injury within the mandate of the SIU. As the SIU is without jurisdiction to continue the investigation, Director Martino has closed the file and referred the matter back to the Hamilton Police Service for investigation.
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