Man refuses to speak, so SIU drops probe into Hamilton cops

A man’s refusal to co-operate with the province’s Special Investigations Unit has led the oversight body to drop its probe into Hamilton Police officers.

The incident at the heart of the investigation happened July 18, when police became aware of a suspicious vehicle parked in the area of King Street East and Parkdale Avenue South.

According to the SIU, officers ran the licence plate and determined the vehicle had been reported stolen.

When officers tried to arrest a 36-year-old man who was inside the vehicle, he refused to come out. Officers broke the vehicle windows to remove him, struggling with the man before handcuffing him and taking him to hospital.

The man refused to speak with SIU investigators soon after the incident and again a week later, according to the SIU.

“The man does not wish to co-operate with the SIU at this time and there is no reason to suspect the force used by the officers was anything other than reasonably necessary in the course of effecting a lawful arrest,” says a statement from Joseph Martino, acting director of the SIU. “As such, I have terminated the investigation into this incident.”

The SIU investigates all serious injuries, deaths or allegations of sexual assault involving police officers.