News Release
No Charges to Issue in Connection with Man’s Hospitalization in Kingston due to Drug Overdose
Case Number: 22-OCI-040
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Kingston Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the hospitalization of a 38-year-old man in February.
On the afternoon of February 10, 2022, police entered a residence Park Street on the strength of a search warrant that had been obtained under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. The 38-year-old man, who was not a target of the warrant, was arrested and searched. When asked, the man said he did not have drugs on him. While lodged in a cell, the man showed signs suggesting he had overdosed, and his condition deteriorated. Paramedics attended and transported the man to hospital, where he was treated for an overdose of crystal methamphetamine.
Director Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the arresting officer or any other officer transgressed the limits of care in their dealings with the man. Accordingly, there was no basis for proceeding with charges in this case and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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