SIU clears Hamilton officers accused of breaking woman's wrist

 

Officers with the Hamilton Police Service have been cleared by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) after being accused of breaking a woman’s wrist.

On Dec. 7, 2019, a 56-year-old woman was apprehended under the Mental Health Act by Hamilton Police Service officers and taken to hospital.

In August of 2020, the woman filed a complaint with the Office of the Independent Police Review Director asserting that the police officers had broken her left wrist in the course of her arrest.

According to the official report, the woman asserted that “police officers were rude to her and she had broken her left wrist as a result of the interaction.”

According to medical records obtained by investigators, the woman attended a fracture clinic for an X-ray on Dec. 7, 2019, and the results showed no fracture. On Dec. 23, 2019, the woman reportedly attended the clinic again for an X-ray, and the results showed she likely had a small “avulsion fracture to her left wrist.”

SIU director, Joseph Martino, determined “there are no reasonable grounds to believe that an officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the woman's arrest and injury.”

The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials 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.