News Release

SIU Concludes Investigation into Hamilton Arrest

Case Number: 23-OCI-015   

Other News Releases Related to Case 23-OCI-015

SIU Appealing for Witnesses to Hamilton Arrest

Mississauga, ON (8 May, 2023) ---
In the early afternoon of January 9, 2023, Hamilton Police Service officers in a cruiser stopped a vehicle that had been at a suspected drug house. As the officers dealt with the driver of the vehicle, the passenger exited the vehicle and began to walk away. When the officers located the man a short time later, one of the officers exited the cruiser and told the man he was under arrest. A struggle ensued in which the officer delivered several punches to the man. The man was eventually handcuffed. The man complained of pain to his face, and at hospital he was diagnosed with fractures of the nose. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the 52-year-old man’s arrest and injuries. 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