News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Woman’s Arrest, Broken Nose Suffered During Arrest in Lindsay
Case Number: 22-OCI-210
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OCI-210
SIU Seeking Witnesses of Woman’s Arrest at Lindsay Laundromat
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Kawartha Lakes Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest and broken nose suffered by a 26-year-old woman in Lindsay. The SIU began investigating after a complaint was filed with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director.
On July 10, 2022, officers went to a laundromat in Lindsay after it was reported that the woman would not leave the premises despite being asked to do so. The woman refused to leave and threw her laundry, which she said was bed bug infested, at the officers. The officers took hold of the woman and brought her to the floor. She was handcuffed and escorted to the cruiser. She was released unconditionally at the scene. Following her release, the woman went to the hospital and was diagnosed with a broken nose.
Director Martino found no reasonable grounds to believe the injury was attributable to unlawful conduct on the part of the officer involved. As such, there was no basis for proceeding with charges in this case. 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