News Release
Due to Lack of Cooperation, SIU Terminates Investigation into Oxford County Arrest of Woman
Case Number: 20-PCI-125
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the arrest of a 46-year-old woman last month by Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers in Oxford County.
On May 18, 2020, OPP officers arrested the woman for assault in relation to a domestic incident. Ten days later, the woman contacted the OPP to report that pins holding a plate in place in her arm were broken as a result of her arrest. The SIU commenced an investigation. An SIU investigator contacted the woman by phone. She refused to provide a formal statement to the SIU or authorize the release of her medical records.
Director Martino said, “In the circumstances, as the woman does not wish to cooperate with the SIU, there is an insufficient foundation from which to move forward with an investigation. Indeed, the SIU cannot even be sure that the woman has suffered injuries that fall within the Unit’s 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