News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation Brantford Arrest
Case Number: 22-OCI-200
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe a Brantford Police Service (BPS) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury suffered by a 63-year-old man in August.
In the early afternoon of July 19, 2022, the man, while intoxicated and driving a pick-up truck, rear-ended another vehicle stopped at the Terrace Hill Street and St. Paul Avenue intersection. Soon after arriving at the scene, a BPS officer formed grounds to administer a breath test to the driver of the pick-up truck. The man failed the test and was arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol. The officer arrested the man and transported him to the police station. He was released from custody later in the day. On July 29, 2022, the man sought medical treatment for a swollen and sore left wrist. On August 18, 2022, a neurologist diagnosed the man with nerve damage in the wrist.
It was not entirely clear that the man’s injury was the result of the handcuffs he was made to wear on July 19, 2022. Be that as it may, Director Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer comported himself other than lawfully in his dealings with the man. There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case and the file has been closed.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=2213
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