News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Drug Overdose in Windsor Police Custody
Case Number: 23-OCI-307
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Windsor Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the drug overdose suffered by a 39-year-old man in his cell in August.
On August 2, 2023, the man was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and the Criminal Code after he pulled a fire alarm without reason and waved a knife at motorist. While in custody, he lapsed into medical crisis while in the cell. The man was provided medical care, including naloxone, when he was discovered unresponsive in his cell. He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with a drug overdose.
Director Martino found the officer did not transgress the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law in relation to his care of the man.
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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES