News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Man’s Broken Nose After Officer Confrontation in Brampton
Case Number: 24-OCI-219
The Special Investigations Unit found no reasonable grounds to believe a Peel Regional Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a broken nose suffered by a 58-year-old man in Brampton. On May 23, 2024, the man threatened a security guard at the Peel Reginal Police Intimate Partner Violence Unit at 60 West Drive. An officer became involved, and he pushed the man from behind, his face striking the edge of the table before landing on the floor.
Director Joseph Martino found the push to the back subject to legitimate scrutiny. On the one hand, video footage of the event suggests the man was turning away from the officer at the time of the shove. On the other hand, there was evidence the man adopted a hostile posture towards the officer and the security guard, and had threatened the officer just before the push. The video also captured the man with his arms raised at about the time the officer moved in to push him. That movement, coupled with the verbal threat, could have led the officer to believe an attack of some nature was imminent from the man. Based on that, the push appeared a reasonable tactic in the circumstances as it would quickly create space between the parties and prevent what was, arguably, a reasonably apprehended assault from materializing.
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 (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.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES