News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Guelph Officers After Man Breaks Heel in Jump from Window
Case Number: 22-OCI-239
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the fractured left heel suffered by a 27-year-old man while attempting to flee from Guelph Police Service officers in September.
On September 14, 2022, officers went to the man’s ex-girlfriend’s house after she called police. The man was in violation of a term of his release on bail. When officers arrived, the man jumped from a rear second-floor window to avoid arrest and suffered the serious injury.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino found the investigation should be discontinued at this time as the presence of the officers had nothing to do with the injury leaving nothing to further investigate as far as potential criminal liability of any officers involved. Accordingly, the file has been closed.
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