News Release
SIU Concludes no Criminal Offence was Committed by Officers in Connection with Hamilton Arrest
Case Number: 21-OCI-426
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that two Hamilton Police Service (HPS) officers committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest and injury of a 26-year-old man in December of 2021.
In the morning hours of December 28, 2021, HPS officers responded to a break and enter in progress at a home on Sherman Avenue South. Upon arrival, officers observed a man attempting to flee the home in a vehicle. When an officer blocked the vehicle, the man left on foot but was arrested a short distance away. He was later taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured right clavicle.
Director Martino found that the officers conducted themselves lawfully in their engagement with the man, notwithstanding the injury he suffered in the process. The file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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