News Release
SIU Discontinues London Investigation; Woman Injured Self While Trying to Escape Police
Case Number: 23-OCI-285
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the serious injury suffered by a 29-year-old woman in July in London.
In the morning of July 24, 2023, London Police Service officers attended a 2nd floor apartment on Dundas Street to execute an outstanding warrant for a man. A woman answered the door and explained that the man was the previous tenant and no longer lived there. The officers left but returned shortly after a police records check showed that the woman was also subject to an outstanding arrest warrant. The woman briefly opened the door but quickly closed and locked it when she realized the officers were there for her. She then attempted to escape by sliding down a pipe on the exterior of her building, which she accessed via the apartment’s balcony. The woman hit the ground hard and fractured her right foot and ankle.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino was satisfied that the investigation should be discontinued. Aside from knocking on the door and advising the woman of her arrest, the officers did nothing to cause or contribute to her misadventure. Accordingly, as there was patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of any police officer was concerned, the file has been 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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES