News Release
No Charges to Issue in Connection to Man’s Arrest and Injury in Kitchener
Case Number: 22-OCI-094
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Waterloo Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest and injury of a 26-year-old man in March.
In the evening of March 30, 2022, the man quarreled with his girlfriend at her residence in Kitchener. The argument became physical, and the police were called. At about 10:15 p.m., an officer located the man and arrested him without incident. While at the police station, the man complained of pain to his right hand. He was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured right hand.
It remains unclear when precisely the man injured his right hand. There is evidence that the fracture could have occurred in the course of the domestic dispute or while inside a police cruiser for transportation to the station - there is evidence of the man punching at the interior of the vehicle. Be that as it may, as there was no evidence that any officer who had dealings with the man comported themselves other than lawfully, Director Martino determine there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges. 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