News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man Seriously Injured in Custody of OPP in Sioux Lookout
Case Number: 23-PCI-237
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the fractured right collarbone suffered by a 48-year-old man in June.
On June 21, 2023, officers were called to a hotel because the man was reportedly refusing to leave. The officers, concerned for the man’s wellbeing due to being unsteady on his feet, took the man into custody for being intoxicated in a public place. While being escorted to his cell, the man took hold of the bars and pushed his body weight back into the officer to prevent being put in a cell. An officer delivered elbow strikes to force his hands free and he was pushed back into the cell, causing him to fall on his shoulder and head. When he was released from custody, an officer took the man to hospital, where he was diagnosed with the injury.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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