Two officers with the London Police Service have been cleared of any wrongdoing after a man's wrist was fractured during an arrest.
The province's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said on June 11, 2019, police were forced to chase a man wanted for assaulting a woman in Kiwanis Park that evening. He was located hiding under a residential porch at around 9:45 p.m. and placed under arrest. The SIU said the man complied with officers' requests but became struggled while he was being handcuffed by the officers.
Following his arrest, the man was taken to a detention centre and lodged in a cell where complained of pain in his left wrist. The suspect was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a fractured wrist.
Following an investigation, the SIU determined that the man's wrist was likely injured during the arrest, but the officers used reasonably necessary force to take the man into custody. The SIU also investigated an allegation that an unidentified officer stepped on the man's wrist while he was handcuffed and prone on the ground. However, without further evidence, the allegation was dismissed.
"The force established in the evidence to have been used by [subject officer] #1 and [subject officer] #2 was, in my view, legally justified in aid of a lawful arrest," said SIU Interim Director Joseph Martino in his decision. "Accordingly, there are no grounds for proceeding with criminal charges against the subject officers, and the file is closed."
The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
