News Release
Force Used by Officer to Arrest Man Legally Justified; SIU Concludes Toronto Investigation
Case Number: 23-TCI-009
In the afternoon of January 6, 2023, Toronto Police Service officers were dispatched to the area of Bathurst Street and St. Clair Avenue West following reports of a robbery at the TD Bank. Arriving in the area in his cruiser, an officer observed a person matching the description of the suspect that had been provided. When the officer called out to the 36-year-old man, the man fled. The officer caught up with him, and a struggle ensued. Other officers arrived and assisted in controlling and handcuffing the man. The man was seen at hospital following his arrest and diagnosed with a fractured right orbital bone. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an 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