Ontario Special Investigations Unit clears Hamilton officer of charges

Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to charge a Hamilton Police Service officer following an arrest on June 20. The incident involved a 44-year-old man who used a crowbar to smash the window of a parked police cruiser.

According to a report released by SIU Director Joseph Martino, the officer on the scene chased the suspect and forced him to the ground. The report noted that the officer mistook the crowbar in the man's hand for a knife. During the struggle, officers used knee strikes and punches to control the individual. The man was subsequently hospitalized with a fractured nose and a possible concussion.

Director Martino determined that the use of force was legally justified, stating the officer had cause to fear for public safety and was within her rights to arrest the man for mischief under the Criminal Code.