News Release
SIU Charges Police Officer in Relation to Man’s Arrest in Keswick
Case Number: 17-OCI-071
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has reasonable grounds to believe a York Regional Police (YRP) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to the arrest of a 30-year-old man in April of 2017. Director Loparco has caused a charge to be laid against the officer.
The SIU investigation found the following:
- On the night of April 5, 2017, YRP officers investigated a complaint in the area of Glenwoods Avenue and The Queensway South in Keswick.
- The subject officer became involved in an interaction with a man.
- The following morning, the man was diagnosed with a serious injury.
As a result of the SIU investigation, 39-year-old YRP Constable Wesley Ollson has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 50 Eagle Street West in Newmarket on October 3, 2017.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
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