News Release
No Charges in Man’s Death Following Police Interaction in Port Hope
Case Number: 21-POD-164
Other News Releases Related to Case 21-POD-164
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has found no reasonable grounds to believe that two Ontario Provincial Police officers committed a criminal offence in connection with a 35-year-old man’s self-inflicted death in Port Hope last May.
On May 25, 2021, the OPP found the man deceased in his room at the Comfort Inn in Port Hope. OPP officers had interacted with him the day prior for reportedly assaulting and confining his estranged girlfriend.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1566
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