SIU Terminates Investigation into Arrest Of Man in Toronto Coffee Shop
Numéro du dossier:
19-TCI-269
Mississauga, ON (18 décembre 2019) ---
The Interim Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into an interaction that occurred last month inside a Toronto coffee shop.
On the morning of November 13, 2019, Toronto Police Service officers responded to a Tim Hortons located at 1094 Bloor Street West for an assault call. Soon after arriving, an officer and a 44-year-old man engaged in a struggle. The man was arrested and taken to the police station. When he complained of pain to his right hand, he was transported to hospital for treatment.
Interim Director Martino said, “SIU investigators spoke with the man briefly the day of the incident, at which time he made it clear that he was not interested in being interviewed by the SIU. In the absence of a fulsome statement from the man, I am satisfied that there is presently an insufficient foundation from which to continue with an investigation of this matter. Indeed, given the man’s refusal to cooperate with investigators, the SIU is also unable to gather his medical records to confirm whether it even has a “serious injury” for purposes of its jurisdiction. A video recording, while depicting a struggle between the officer and the man, is not in itself helpful in assessing whether the man was the subject of excessive police force. In the circumstances, the investigation is hereby discontinued, and the file, closed.”
L’UES est un organisme gouvernemental indépendant qui enquête sur la conduite d’agents (agents de police municipaux, régionaux et provinciaux, agents du Service de police Nishnawbe-Aski, agents spéciaux de la Commission des parcs du Niagara et agents de la paix du Service de protection de l’Assemblée législative) qui pourrait avoir entraîné un décès, une blessure grave, la perpétration de violences sexuelles ou la décharge d’une arme à feu sur une personne. Toutes les enquêtes sont menées par des enquêteurs de l'UES qui sont des civils. En vertu de la Loi sur l'Unité des enquêtes spéciales, le directeur de l'UES doit :
- considérer si un agent a commis une infraction criminelle en lien avec l'incident faisant l'objet de l'enquête;
- selon le dossier de preuve, faire porter une accusation criminelle contre l'agent, s'il existe des motifs de le faire, ou clôre le dossier sans faire porter d'accusations;
- rendre compte publiquement des résultats de ses enquêtes.
Read this news release in English.
