News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Arrest of Man at St. Catharines Hospital
Case Number: 24-OCI-299
Witness Assistance
In the early morning of July 10, 2024, Niagara Regional Police Service officers attended a hospital in St. Catharines to assist staff with getting a 35-year-old male patient back into his room. The man had been involuntarily admitted to the hospital under the authority of the Mental Health Act. Officers eventually advanced on the man and took hold of him. After a brief struggle, the officers were able to wrestle control of the man’s arms and handcuff him behind the back. He was lifted to his feet, escorted to his room and sedated. The man subsequently complained of rib pain and was diagnosed with a fractured right-sided rib. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injury.
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