An investigation has concluded that Ontario Provincial Police in West Nipissing did nothing wrong when making an arrest last July that left a suspect with a broken rib.
The province’s Special Investigations Unit said the man suffered the injury only after he resisted arrest and more police had to come and help take him into custody.
It took five officers to wrestle the man to the ground, which is likely when he was injured.
The incident began in the afternoon of July 11 when police arrived at the West Nipissing residence to arrest the 47-year-old who was wanted on outstanding warrants.
As police arrived, the man was leaving a residence pushing someone in a wheelchair.
“Told that he was under arrest, the complainant asked if he could return the person home before accompanying the officers to the detachment,” the SIU said in its report.
“The officers agreed.”
But once back inside, the man tried to shut the door on police. The officers pushed back and entered the home.
Two police followed him inside to handcuff him. But the man, who the SIU described as “powerful” was able to get back on his feet. Officers then called for backup.
More police arrived and “delivered two knee strikes to the complainant’s buttocks. Still, the complainant’s resistance was unabated.”
FIVE OFFICERS NEEDED TO TAKE HIM DOWN
It took five police to take him down, with a leg sweep dropping him to the floor. He still resisted however, and police were unable to handcuff him. Pressure to his shoulder blade, jaw and ear also failed.
Five hand strikes to his jaw also failed, but by this time, the suspect was getting tired. Police gained control of his arms and handcuffed him. He complained of pain and was later diagnosed with a broken left rib.
SIU director Joseph Martino said that, based on all the evidence, police acted within the law in placing the man under arrest.
“It was only after the complainant had fled indoors and refused to submit himself peacefully to arrest that the officers took hold of him,” Martino wrote.
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“The parties were evenly matched in the wrestling contest that ensued. The complainant was described as a powerful man and it took the combined power of five officers to finally bring him to the floor.”
There was also no evidence that police repeatedly kicked him in the groin, which the suspect “characterized as a sexual assault.”
Read the full report here.
