News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Overdose in London Cell
Case Number: 23-OCI-340
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a drug overdose suffered by a 35-year-old man while in custody in August.
On August 20, 2023, officers arrested the man in relation to a reported break and enter call. The man was taken to the police station and told the officers he had taken fentanyl earlier in the day. Fentanyl was also found during a search of his backpack. The man was put into a cell and checked every 20 minutes. About 90 minutes later, he was found unresponsive. Emergency care was provided until paramedics arrived, and he was taken to hospital. The man was admitted to hospital for treatment of a drug overdose.
Director Martino found it arguable that the man ought to have been sent directly to hospital or subjected to more frequent monitoring while in cells given what the officer knew of his fentanyl use. That said, the man appeared coherent and in control of his faculties at the time he was booked. On this record, Director Martino found the evidence fell short of any suggestion that the officer transgressed the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law.
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