News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man Injured During Arrest in Niagara Falls
Case Number: 23-OCI-476
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a Niagara Regional Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury suffered by a 37-year-old man in Niagara Falls. On November 15, 2023, officers from Niagara Regional Police Service assisted York Regional Police officers in the arrest of a man for a homicide in Aurora last June.
The officers, believing the man may still be in possession of a firearm, immediately brought the man to the ground near a business on Drummond Road. He was handcuffed. After his arrest, the man complained of right knee pain. Paramedics transported him to hospital where he was diagnosed with a torn right knee tendon.
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