News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Man’s Interaction with Special Constables in Niagara Falls
Case Number: 24-OCI-040
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 27-year-old man in January in Niagara Falls.
In the early morning of January 28, 2024, the man was driving on the Niagara River Parkway when he was pulled over by special constables with the Niagara Parks Police Service for impaired operation of a motor vehicle. He was arrested and transported to the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) lockup facility in Niagara Falls where special constables with that service had occasion to ground him twice. Subsequently taken to hospital, the man was diagnosed with a broken left cheekbone.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that partly captured the man’s time in custody, Director Martino was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. The evidence indicated that the man’s injury was likely incurred in one or the other of the takedowns by NRPS special constables at the lockup facility. As NRPS special constables do not fall within the mandate of the SIU, the unit was without statutory jurisdiction to investigate the matter. The file has been closed.
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