News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s Injury in Custody of Windsor Police
Case Number: 22-OCI-261
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the reported serious injury suffered by a 29-year-old man in custody of the Windsor Police Service last October.
On October 4, 2022, the man was arrested inside his residence on Glengarry Avenue in Windsor. Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of the man’s medical records, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. The records showed his fractured finger was an old injury. On this record, Director Martino was not persuaded the man suffered a ‘serious injury’ at the hands of a police officer within the terms of the SIU’s mandate. Accordingly, the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction to investigate the incident, and 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