The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, found no reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police officer committed a criminal offence in connection with a concussion suffered by a 30-year-old man in 2022. The SIU re-opened this case in August 2023 after receiving new information.
On June 21, 2023, police were called to a residence in Bracebridge for a report that the man assaulted a woman. The man was arrested and taken to the detachment. While the man was being placed in a cell, the man repeatedly attempted to punch an officer and grabbed him by the neck. The officer delivered initial punches, followed by an additional five punches after the man released his hold on the officer’s head.
Director Martino found the subsequent punches were arguably not strictly necessary. The law, however, does not demand that officers perfectly tailor their force when engaged in volatile and violent situations. Director Martino found that for an officer engaged in a vigorous struggle, he was unable to reasonably conclude that the officer acted in excess.
Full Director’s Report (with Incident Narrative, Evidence, and Analysis & Director’s Decision):