News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Hamilton Arrest
Case Number: 24-OCI-209
In the morning of May 16, 2024, a Hamilton Police Service officer was in plainclothes operating an unmarked cruiser when his attention was drawn to a vehicle travelling in excess of the speed limit. The officer learned that the 37-year-old man driving the vehicle was a prohibited driver and the officer decided to stop the vehicle. When the vehicle stopped in a parking lot, officers arrested the man after a struggle. In hospital, the man was diagnosed with four right-sided rib fractures, a right maxillary sinus fracture, and fractures of three lumbar vertebrae. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injuries.
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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES