News Release
Statement on Protest
Case Number: N/A
All Canadians enjoy the right to protest and express their opinions in a peaceful manner. The Special Investigations Unit respects this right.
Black Lives Matter Toronto has made a number of demands related to how the Special Investigations Unit fulfills its mandate of civilian oversight of police.
The Special Investigations Unit is governed by a legislative framework that is set out in detail in the Police Services Act. The Unit is comprised of civilian investigators tasked with conducting criminal investigations of the circumstances surrounding serious injuries and deaths in cases involving the police. At the conclusion of every investigation, the Director determines whether there are grounds to lay a charge. Where those grounds exist, a charge is laid and referred to the Crown Law Office of the Ministry of the Attorney General for prosecution.
The Government of Ontario is responsible for the development of legislation and its effective implementation. It has appointed the Honourable Michael H. Tulloch, a judge of the Ontario Court of Appeal, to lead an independent review of the SIU and two other agencies that oversee police conduct in the province.
If you or someone you know is an affected person in need of support, please call the Affected Persons Program General Referral Line at 1-877-641-1897 or click here for more information: siu.on.ca/en/apc.php
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