Ontario’s civilian Special Investgations Unit (SIU) has closed its file on a complaint by a L’Orignal man who suffered injuries while being arrested by OPP officers in October of 2022.
On the morning of October 4, 2022, Ontario Provincial Police officers attended a residence in L’Orignal as a result of a 42-year-old man who expressed concern about the mental health of his partner. Satisfied there were no grounds for an apprehension under the Mental Health Act, the officers exited the home and explained the situation to the man. An altercation ensued, and the man was arrested.
At hospital, the man was diagnosed with a fractured left orbital bone, and a number of ‘subacute’ spine and rib fractures. While accepting that the man’s injuries were incurred in the course of the altercation with police that marked his arrest, SIU Director Joseph Martino determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe they were the result of unlawful conduct on the part of any officer.
As there was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, the file has been closed.
The Special Investigations Unit is a civilian law enforcement agency that investigates incidents involving an official where there has been death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault. The Unit is independent of any police service and operates at arm’s length from the Ministry of the Attorney General.
