The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared the Bracebridge OPP after an incident in October 2020.
Director of the SIU Joseph Martino explains a 43-year-old woman went to a hospital on October 31, 2020, while experiencing a panic attack. “When she walked outside to the ambulance bay parking area, she became involved in an interaction with two OPP officers. She later reported she had sustained serious injuries as a result of the interaction,” he says. “Investigators made repeated efforts to have the woman sign medical releases that would have allowed the SIU an avenue to verify the alleged injuries, but she refused to do so.”
“Based on the SIU’s preliminary inquiries, I am satisfied that the SIU investigation should be discontinued at this time,” Martino says. “As the SIU is unable to confirm the nature and extent of the woman’s injuries, if any, the SIU is presently without jurisdiction to investigate this matter. The file, accordingly, is closed.”
This is the second SIU investigation the Bracebridge OPP has been involved in this year. The previous one was closed in January and cleared officers of any wrongdoing.
The SIU is an independent government agency that is called to investigate the conduct of officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person.