News Release
SIU Discontinues Investigation into Stratford Arrest
Case Number: 23-OCI-493
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the June 2023 arrest of a 47-year-old man in Stratford. Sometime following his arrest, the man filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD), alleging that he was assaulted by a Stratford Police Service officer during the June 13, 2023, and suffered a fractured rib in the process. The SIU was notified of the incident on November 30, 2023.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of body-worn camera footage that captured the incident, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. Despite repeated efforts by the SIU, the man did not avail himself of an interview, nor did he authorize the release of his medical records. There was, accordingly, no confirmation that he sustained a serious injury around the time of his arrest. Beyond that, video footage captured by the arresting officer’s body-worn camera suggests that the man’s arrest was uneventful. On this record, there was insufficient evidence of a ‘serious injury’ to trigger the SIU’s statutory mandate, or that any purported injury was caused by the police. The SIU was accordingly without jurisdiction in this case and the file was 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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES