NEWS RELEASE
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
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The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe that an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer committed criminal offences in connection with the arrest of a 43-year-old man in the Township of Georgian Bay.
On July 10, 2022, Bracebridge OPP officers were called to the Canadian Pacific Railway yard for a reported trespass and breaking and entering investigation. Officers located the man believed to be involved near a retail area on Front Street. There was an interaction between the officer and the man. The man was arrested and transported to hospital where he was diagnosed with serious injuries.
As a result of the SIU investigation, Constable Scott Anthony is charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm and one count of assault with a weapon contrary to sections 267(b) and 267(a) of the Criminal Code, respectively.
Cst. Anthony is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 3 Dominion Street in Bracebridge on Dec. 20, 2022.
As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will not provide further comment on the investigation.
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
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