News Release
SIU Concludes London Investigation into Injuries Suffered by Man after Being Bit by Police Dog
Case Number: 24-OCI-267
On June 24, 2204, a London Police Service officer was driving on Western Counties Road when he observed a Volkswagen that was believed to have been involved in a robbery. The officer followed the vehicle. A short time later, the 34-year-old male driver of the Volkswagen pulled over, exited the vehicle and ran into a heavily wooded area. Officers, including a police dog, entered the woods to search for the man. Officers located the man, but when the man fled, an officer gave the order and the dog caught up to the man, bit into his right forearm. The man was arrested and taken to hospital for treatment of multiple lacerations. On his assessment of the evidence, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the dog handler committed a criminal offence in connection with the man’s arrest and injuries.
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 (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.
Kristy Denette, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES