News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Female’s Reported Injury During Arrest in Thunder Bay
Case Number: 23-OCI-369
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Thunder Bay Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the broken right forearm suffered by a 17-year-old girl.
On September 7, 2023, officers arrested the girl, at a residence in Thunder Bay, for being in breach of bail conditions. She refused to stand or allow officers to put her hands behind her back to be handcuffed.
Director Martino found it unclear if the girl’s injury happened prior to police arrival or during her arrest.
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