News Release
No Charges to Issue in Relation to a Firearm Discharge at a Woman in Peel Region
Case Number: 21-OFP-039
On February 4, 2021, the Peel Regional Police Service (PRP) responded to a report of a woman in distress. A PRP officer deployed a Controlled Energy Weapon (CEW) and Anti Riot Weapon ENfield (ARWEN), disarmed the woman, and took her into custody. Following her arrest, the woman was taken to hospital where she was admitted for psychiatric examination.
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, said, “as I am satisfied that the officer used no more force than was reasonably necessary to safely take the woman into lawful custody, there is no basis for proceeding with charges in this case and the file is closed.”
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision): https://www.siu.on.ca/en/directors_report_details.php?drid=1379
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