News Release
North Bay Police Officer Charged with Assault Causing Bodily Harm
Case Number: 15-OCI-285
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit has caused an assault causing bodily harm charge to be laid against a constable with the North Bay Police Service.
An SIU investigation found the following:
- On March 15, 2014, a 40-year-old man attended the Fox and Fiddle Pub at 112 Spencer Avenue in North Bay.
- Sometime after midnight, there was an altercation involving a number of patrons of the pub.
- A North Bay Police Service officer intervened and allegedly assaulted the 40-year-old man.
As a result of this investigation, the Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed the criminal offence of assault cause bodily harm. He has caused a charge to be laid.
North Bay Police Service Constable Christian Elia is now facing one count of assault cause bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code of Canada, in relation to this particular incident.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at the North Bay Courthouse on July 5, 2016.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment.
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