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Investigators call off probe into man's injuries in local police cell

The man punched the wall multiple times, says the SIU. But he didn't hurt himself badly enough
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NEWS RELEASE

SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT

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The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Tony Loparco, has terminated an investigation into an incident where a 28-year-old man sustained injuries in August of 2017 while in an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) cell.

On Aug. 28, 2017, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers arrested the man and transported him to the East Algoma OPP detachment where he was lodged in a cell.
 
While in the cell, the man punched the wall multiple times. He was later taken to hospital where it was confirmed that the man had not suffered any serious injuries.
  
Director Loparco said, “The SIU’s mandate is statutorily limited to the investigation of serious injuries and deaths in cases involving the police. As the man did not suffer a serious injury in this case, the SIU is without jurisdiction to continue this investigation and the file has been closed.”

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must:

  • consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence  in connection with the incident under investigation
  • depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
  • report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General. 

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