News Release
SIU Finds Takedown of Man in Barrie was Legally Justified
Case Number: 22-OCI-222
Other News Releases Related to Case 22-OCI-222
In the evening of August 30, 2022, a Barrie Police Service officer was dispatched to a business after an employee had called police to report that a man had been threatening staff and customers. The officer located the 40-year-old man a short distance away from the business. After they spoke briefly, the officer decided to arrest the man for public intoxication. As they walked to the officer’s cruiser, the man kicked the officer in the knee and the officer forced him to the ground. The man’s face struck the pavement in the fall, resulting in facial fractures. SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe the man’s injuries were attributable to any unlawful conduct on the part of the officer. 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://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