News Release
SIU Terminates Investigation into Interaction in St. Thomas between Police and Man
Case Number: 17-OCI-210
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred in July of 2017 between a 37-year-old man and a St. Thomas Police Service officer.
At approximately 7:30 a.m. on July 24, 2017, the man – for whom there was an outstanding warrant – was walking along Axford Parkway. When a marked police vehicle pulled up close to the man, he ran away. The police officer exited the cruiser and gave chase. After a brief struggle, the man was arrested and taken to the police station. When the man complained of soreness, he was taken to hospital but no serious injury was diagnosed and he was released.
The following day, the man had swelling in his neck and was taken to hospital. Surgery was done to remove a life threatening abscess from the left side of the man’s neck.
Director Loparco said, “The medical condition complained about and medically treated was unrelated to the man’s contact with police. Accordingly, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”
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