SIU clears Niagara police officer after man’s nose broken during arrest

A police officer who was called to a family feud in Niagara Falls where an arrestee suffered a broken nose has been cleared of wrongdoing.

The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the provincial police watchdog, says it has “found no reasonable grounds” to believe that a Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the arrest of a man on Feb. 9. Director Joseph Martino said while the SIU believes the man broke his nose in his altercation with NRPS officers, the latter’s conduct was lawful.

The complainant, who was 29 years old at the time, was taken down twice by the police that morning.

The dispute at a residence in the area of Thorold Stone Road and Queen Elizabeth Way is believed to have begun when the complainant quarreled with his parents. The argument “became physical” between the man and his father. His mother called the police.

The responding officer, per the SIU, “agreed to leave voluntarily on condition that his mother return to him a sum of money and he be allowed to collect some personal items. The officers agreed and arrangements were made for a cab to attend and escort the Complainant from the address.”

However, the cab that arrived was a sedan. That upset the complainant, who had asked for a van that was large enough to transport his large-screen TV. When an officer tried to block him from re-entering the home, the complainant pushed the officer and was put under arrest.

Later, after being placed in a NRPS police cruiser, the complainant “lashed out inside the car kicking at the Plexiglas partition and the doors,” Martino stated. With other officers having arrived, the complainant was removed from the vehicle and was re-cuffed with his hands behind his back. He was then taken to hospital.

The subject officer was interviewed by the SIU, but did not share notes. Two other officers classified as witness officials were interviewed, and five others shared notes.

The SIU investigates the conduct of police officers that might have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. Their full reports, which contain graphic content that can shock, offend and upset, is viewable at siu.on.ca.