The Special Investigations Unit has cleared an Ottawa police officer after a man broke his nose during an incident at Montfort Hospital in February.
Details of the incident
On Feb. 20, an Ottawa Police Service officer apprehended a 26-year-old man under the Mental Health Act, the provincial police watchdog said in a release on June 8. The man was taken to hospital, where he became increasingly agitated. Police informed him that he would be handcuffed if he did not calm down. When his belligerent behavior continued, officers attempted to secure his arms behind his back, but the man resisted and kept his arms in front of him.
Officers eventually forced the man to the floor, but during the takedown he fell face first, fracturing his nose. The SIU director, Joseph Martino, reviewed the evidence and determined there were no reasonable grounds to believe an officer committed a criminal offence.
Director's reasoning
In his decision, Martino stated that the subject officer was within her rights to arrest the man, describing him as a delusional and upset complainant. He noted that the decision to handcuff the man was justified after he became aggressive at the hospital. Martino wrote: "The force used to place the Complainant in handcuffs was lawful. The Complainant is seen in the video footage to strenuously resist the officers' efforts to bring his arms around the back, keeping them in front of his body. The takedown made sense in the circumstances as it would better position the officers to overcome the Complainant's resistance."
He added: "It is regrettable that the Complainant broke his nose when his face struck the floor in the takedown, but that was more the product of opposing forces operating on one another—the officers attempting to pull him down as the Complainant fought to stay on his feet—rather than the application of unnecessary force by the officers."
Role of the SIU
The SIU is an independent agency that investigates incidents in Ontario involving police officers that result in death, serious injury, allegations of sexual assault, or the discharge of a firearm at a person. This case highlights the challenges officers face when dealing with individuals in mental health crises.
