News Release
SIU Discontinues Stratford Investigation into Man’s Hospitalization Following Arrest and Detention
Case Number: 25-OCI-235
The Deputy Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Stacey O’Brien, has terminated an investigation into the hospitalization of a 23-year-old man in June in Stratford.
In the early afternoon of June 8, 2025, the man was arrested by Stratford Police Service officers in the parking lot of a Giant Tiger store, following calls to police regarding a domestic assault. The man was transported to the police station and lodged in cells. During his detention, the man became emotional, exhibiting episodes of crying and agitation. He was observed kicking the bed, striking the floor with his hands, and repeatedly hitting his head against the cell wall. Later, during routine checks, police observed that the man was unresponsive. The man was transported to hospital where he was treated for a drug overdose.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, including a review of video footage that captured the incident in part, Deputy Director O’Brien was satisfied the investigation should be discontinued. The man was solely responsible for his own actions. The police did nothing that could attract criminal liability in connection with the man’s substance-related crisis in the cells. There being patently nothing to investigate as far as the potential criminal liability of the police was concerned, the file has been closed.
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