News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Sarnia Takedown of Man
Case Number: 25-OCI-045
In the evening of February 2, 2025, Sarnia Police Service officers attended at an apartment building after a resident contacted police to report the presence of persons in the building attempting to break into apartments. The officers located and approached two people in the stairwell. As soon as one of the officers identified himself as a police officer, one of individuals, a 33-year-old man, ran away. The officer pursued the man and tackled him. The man was apprehended, but soon released unconditionally when it was learned he resided at the building. He was subsequently seen at hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured right shoulder. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s injury.
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 (municipal, regional and provincial police officers, police officers with the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, 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