SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT
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The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Joseph Martino, has reasonable grounds to believe an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an interaction with a 43-year-old woman in September of 2019.
As a result, Director Martino has caused a charge to be laid against the officer. The matter was brought to the attention of the SIU by a civilian on April 15, 2020.
The SIU investigation determined that at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Sept. 7, 2019, OPP officers arrested a woman outside the Studabakers Beachside in Orillia and transported her to the Orillia OPP detachment.
While in a cell, the woman became involved in an interaction with a police officer. She was taken to hospital for treatment. Two days later, the woman returned to hospital and was diagnosed with a serious injury.
As a result of the SIU investigation, OPP Constable Bailey Nicholls has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm, contrary to s. 267(b) of the Criminal Code.
The officer is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 700 Memorial Ave. on Feb. 9, 2021.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) 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. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must:
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations
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