News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s ICU Admission After Arrest by Durham Officers in Newtonville
Case Number: 23-OCI-258
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the hospitalization of a 38-year-old man after he was apprehended by Durham Regional Police Service officers in July.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of body worn camera footage, on July 5, 2023, police received a 911 call about a man in distress on Newtonville Road. The man was running around naked, interfering with traffic and defecating. Officers took the man into custody under the Mental Health Act after a brief foot chase. Paramedics took the man to hospital where he was admitted to the ICU and discharged the next day. Despite repeated efforts by SIU investigators, the man would not participate in the investigation; however, footage gave some sense of what happened and left no indication of any untoward conduct by police. On this record, Director Martino was satisfied there was insufficient evidentiary foundation to proceed with an investigation. As such, the file has been hereby closed. Every consideration will be given to re-opening the file in the event the man decides to come forward in the future.
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