Investigative unit clears cop who repeatedly punched stolen vehicle suspect in Brampton

A Peel Regional Police officer was justified in repeatedly punching a man who refused to let go of the steering wheel of a stolen vehicle during a violent arrest in Brampton, the police watchdog has concluded.

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the independent provincial agency that investigates incidents involving police where someone is seriously injured, dies or is the subject of allegations of sexual assault, says there are no reasonable grounds to charge the officer in connection with the arrest.

The incident happened on March 17 in the parking lot of a commercial plaza at 1785 Queen Street East.

According to the SIU, a Peel Regional Police Community Intervention Response Team officer was alerted by an Automatic Licence Plate Recognition (ALPR) system that a parked Jeep Wrangler had been reported stolen. After calling for backup, officers boxed in the vehicle and approached the driver to arrest him.

Investigators say the 31-year-old driver refused to comply, gripping the steering wheel as officers attempted to pull him from the Jeep. Surveillance video and body-worn camera footage reviewed by the SIU show the officer repeatedly punching the man in the face and upper body before he was finally removed from the vehicle.

Once on the ground, the man continued resisting efforts to handcuff him by keeping his arms underneath his body. The officer delivered another punch to the man’s torso before police were able to gain control and place him in handcuffs.

The man was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a fractured nose.

In his decision released Thursday, SIU Director Joseph Martino said the force used by the officer was proportionate to the situation and necessary to quickly gain control of a suspect who was actively resisting arrest and could potentially have attempted to drive away.

“The quantum of force used by the officer would appear commensurate with the exigencies of the situation given the complainant’s resistance and the need to quickly take him into custody,” Martino wrote.

As a result, the SIU found no reasonable grounds to believe the officer committed a criminal offence.

However, the investigation did identify another concern. Martino noted the officer failed to activate his body-worn camera before approaching the Jeep, despite having sufficient time to do so. Because the camera was only switched on after the suspect had been removed from the vehicle, the SIU said it was deprived of the best evidence of what occurred during the initial struggle.

The director said that issue is being referred to Peel Regional Police and the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency for review.