SIU Logo
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has concluded its investigation into a February arrest in Milton that left a 28-year-old man with a fractured eye socket.
This incident began February 5th at 4:38 p.m., when the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) was called to a Guelph Line residence for a report of intimate partner violence. The man, subject to a court order not to contact his former partner, had reportedly confined her in the home. When he refused to surrender, officers treated the situation as a barricaded person incident and secured a Feeney warrant to enter.
After hours of unsuccessful attempts to make contact, the Halton Police Tactical Response Unit entered the residence after midnight and located the man hiding under a deflated mattress in an upstairs bedroom. Officers reported that he was combative and resisted arrest. Two officers deployed conducted energy weapons (CEWs), and another officer punched the man in the face. He was taken into custody and transported to Milton District Hospital, where he was later diagnosed with a complex blowout fracture to his right eye.
The SIU assigned three investigators to the case. Five witness officers were interviewed, but the subject officer declined, as permitted by law. While the complainant alleged excessive force, SIU Director Joseph Martino concluded there were no reasonable grounds to believe a criminal offence occurred. Martino noted that the officers acted on reasonable grounds, including the complainant’s failure to surrender, his past behaviour, and the discovery of a loaded crossbow in the home. The force used, though significant, was deemed necessary under the circumstances.
The case has been closed.
The full SIU report is available here.
If you have a news tip or story idea, you can now send us a heads up via email at:
- News1013@LocalRadio.ca (Milton)
- News1015@LocalRadio.ca (Orangeville)
- News92@LocalRadio.ca (South Simcoe)
If you’d like to get ahold of me personally, shoot me a message at Cameron.Wilkinson@LocalRadio.ca. We’re in the business of content creation, so no idea is a bad idea.
