News Release
Investigation into Man Seriously Injured During Arrest by London Police Officers is Completed
Case Number: 23-OCI-438
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a three London Police Service officers committed a criminal offence in connection with the broken wrist suffered by a 39-year-old man during his arrest in October.
On October 25, 2023, officers attempted to arrest the man after they believed him to be in possession of a stolen vehicle and subject to an outstanding arrest warrant. When the man parked in the area of Springbank Drive and Berkshire Drive, officers tackled the man to the ground and handcuffed him. He was later diagnosed with a fractured left wrist. Director Martino accepted that the man’s injury was the result of the force brought to bear by one or more of the officers, but found no basis for criminal charges.
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