News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Dog Bite Wounds During OPP Arrest in Tweed
Case Number: 24-PCI-094
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injury of a 47-year-old man. On March 1, 2024, an officer located a man who was subject to arrest for two warrants. The officer followed the man, who was in a pickup truck. The pickup truck crashed and two men inside fled. The wanted man hid and a canine team was dispatched. The police service dog located the man and bit his lower right leg and held the man until officers could handcuff him. The man was taken to hospital for surgery with respect to dog bite wounds.
While Director Martino acknowledged that the man’s injuries were unfortunate, the use of the police dog was a reasonable tactic in the circumstances.
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