THUNDER BAY – The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the reported serious injury suffered by a 30-year-old woman in Thunder Bay.
On March 14, 2022, a lawyer contacted the SIU to report that a client of hers was seriously injured in the course of her arrest several months back by a Thunder Bay Police Service officer.
The SIU initiated an investigation.
Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, Director Martino concluded that the woman did not suffer any serious injuries within the mandate of the SIU. As the SIU was without statutory jurisdiction in this matter, the file has been closed.
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
