News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man Seriously Injured by Police Service Dog During London Arrest
Case Number: 23-OCI-478
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe a London Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the serious injuries suffered by a 55-year-old man after he was bit by a police dog. On November 18, 2023, officers were called to the Hydro One facility on Power Street for a break and enter in progress.
The man was hiding in nearby brush. A police service dog searched the area and located the man. The dog latched onto his head and left hand. The man was handcuffed. An ambulance took the man to hospital where he was treated for multiple puncture wounds on his left hand and lacerations to the head. Director Martino was unable to reasonable conclude that the officer’s indiscretion, if it was such, amounted to a marked and substantial departure from a reasonable level of care.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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