NEWS RELEASE
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
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MISSISSAUGA - The Director of the Special Investigations Unit, Joseph Martino, has terminated an investigation into the July 2019 apprehension of a 39-year-old woman at a Walmart in St. Catharines. The SIU first learned of this incident on July 8, 2020, when the woman brought it to the SIU’s attention.
On July 21, 2019, Niagara Regional Police Service officers attended a Walmart in St. Catharines following calls to police that a woman was behaving erratically in the store and scaring customers. Officers located the woman, and she was apprehended pursuant to section 17 of the Mental Health Act. Subsequent to her arrest, the woman was taken to hospital where she was admitted for psychiatric examination.
Director Martino said, “Following a review of the woman’s medical records, it is apparent that she did not suffer any 'serious injury' within the terms of the SIU’s statutory mandate. Accordingly, as the SIU is without jurisdiction in the matter, the investigation is hereby discontinued and the file is closed.”
The SIU is an independent civilian agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must:
• consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
• depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
• report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General.
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