SIU clears Ottawa police officers in arrest of homeless man

By OttawaMatters Staff

The province's police watchdog has decided not to lay charges against two officers who arrested a homeless man whose wrist was broken, last year.

The man was arrested for public intoxication, outside the Shepherds of Good Hope, at King Edward Avenue and Murray Street, in June 2018. There was a struggle with police, and the Special Investigations Unit says the man was forced to the ground during his arrest.

The SIU notes that the wrist fracture may have happened during the arrest, or that it could also have happened when the man punched his cell door repeatedly.

If the fracture did happen during the arrest, the SIU says the injury, while unfortunate, would not have been the result of any criminal offence by the officers.

The SIU's interim director has determined there were no reasonable grounds on which to lay charges against the officers.

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