News Release
No Basis to Charge Officer in Relation to Ottawa Arrest
Case Number: 20-OCI-272
On the night of October 17, 2020, an individual contacted 911 to report a suspected impaired driver in the area of Prince of Wales Drive and Barnsdale Road in Ottawa. When officers arrived at the scene and located the vehicle of interest, the 46-year-old driver exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Officers caught up with the man. After a struggle, he was apprehended. The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has determined there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and fractured ribs the man reportedly suffered.
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 (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