News Release
Investigation Concluded into Man Bit by London Police Service Dog During Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-051
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a 46-year-old man seriously injured from a police service dog bite. On February 1, 2024, a 911 call was made after the man reportedly damaged the water heater of a woman’s home, flooding the basement, and took off in a car while impaired. The man was involved in a single-vehicle collision at Wonderland Road South and Dingman Drive and left the scene on foot. A police dog tracked him and bit him on the right arm until he was handcuffed. The man was taken to hospital where he was treated for lacerations and fractures of the right forearm and wrist.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_reports.php.
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