News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to Brant County Interaction
Case Number: 19-OCI-160
In the early morning hours of July 3, 2019, a group of individuals pranked a home in Brant County multiple times by knocking on the home’s door, and then fleeing. The home’s owner, a Brantford Police Service officer, and another officer, waited to see if the individuals would return. When they did return, the second officer became involved in an interaction with a 16-year-old male and informed the youth he was under arrest. The officers had the youths wait for the arrival of the OPP. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to lay criminal charges against any police officer in relation to this incident.
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