News Release
SIU Concludes Investigation into Toronto Police Officers’ Arrest of Man Diagnosed with Fractures
Case Number: 24-TCI-139
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The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe two Toronto Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a broken nose and orbital bone suffered by a 59-year-old man. On March 24, 2024, officers attempted to arrest the man while he walked his dog in a parkette in the West Hill area of Scarborough. He was subject to arrest for a recent home invasion. The man refused to surrender, and officers attempted to negotiate for more than 90 minutes. The man, armed with a knife, attempted to flee and struggled with police. Officers deployed a total of four distraction devices, followed by conducted energy weapons and a BIP gun.
Director Martino said it was regrettable that the officers’ weapons and punches might have directly caused one or both of the man’s fractures, but he said it did not detract from the reasonableness of their use. He concluded that the officers needed to quickly subdue a man possibly still in possession of a knife and struggling against arrest.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):
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
Lisez ce communiqué en français.
Monica Hudon, siu.media@ontario.ca
SIU Communications/Service des communications, UES