News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Arrest of Man in Bracebridge
Case Number: 22-PCI-292
On November 2, 2022, an individual requested that police check on the well-being of a 20-year-old man as they were concerned the man would harm himself. Two Ontario Provincial Police officers arrived at a motel room in Bracebridge and spoke with the man. While he was initially receptive to the idea of accompanying the officers to hospital for a mental health assessment, he later became defiant. The man was handcuffed and searched, after which he spat at the officers. The man was taken down to the floor and arrested for having assaulted a peace officer. Following his arrest, the man was transported to the detachment and lodged in a cell. When he complained of pain to a leg, the man was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a fractured right knee. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that either officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury. 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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES