News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Woman’s Injury Involving Windsor Officer
Case Number: 23-OCI-173
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, terminated an investigation into a serious injury reportedly suffered by a 63-year-old woman during an encounter with a Windsor Police Service officer in January. In May, the woman reported that she had broke her back.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including an interview with a witness and a review of her medical records, on January 30, 2023, the woman refused to exit a taxicab. Police were called outside a convenience store at 2730 Howard Avenue and asked her to leave the cab. She did not and was physically removed. The woman went to the hospital later that day and was diagnosed with soft tissue injuries. As the woman did not sustain a ‘serious injury’ within the terms of the SIU mandate, this left the SIU without statutory jurisdiction to investigate.
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