News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Kitchener Arrest
Case Number: 22-OCI-148
Witness Assistance
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a 42-year-old man’s arrest and injury in June in Kitchener.
On the morning of June 5, 2022, WRPS officers were dispatched to the area of Strasburg Road and Ottawa Street South following a 911 call reporting a theft from a store. Upon arrival, the officers located a person of interest outside of the Staples store. The officers took hold of the man’s arms and told him that he was under arrest for theft. The man physically resisted as the officers attempted to bring his arms around his back so they could be handcuffed. He continued to resist after the officers placed him on the ground in a prone position, refusing to bring his arms around his back. The officers were eventually able to handcuff the man. He was transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with a dislocated left elbow and fracture of the coronoid process of the ulna.
Director Martino concluded there were no grounds in the evidence that would warrant criminal charges against one of the arresting officers. As such, 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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES