News Release

SIU Discontinues Brantford Investigation

Case Number: 19-OCI-188   

Mississauga, ON (3 October, 2019) ---
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 37-year-old man in April of 2019 by a Brantford Police Service (BPS) officer. The SIU was made aware of the incident by the police service on August 7, 2019.

On April 3, 2019, BPS officers attended a domestic dispute call at a residence. The man was arrested and transported to the police station. When he complained of pain, the man was taken to hospital for treatment.

Interim Director Martino said, “In the course of the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, the man made it clear that he did not wish to cooperate in the investigation and declined to authorize the release of his medical records. In the circumstances, there is an insufficient basis from which to carry forward with an investigation. Indeed, the SIU cannot even confirm whether the man sustained a “serious injury” for purposes of assessing its statutory jurisdiction. Accordingly, the investigation is hereby discontinued, and the file is closed.”

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

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