Windsor police officer cleared of any wrongdoing during arrest


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A Windsor police officer who caused serious injuries to a local man during an arrest was found not to have committed any criminal offense in connection with the incident, concluded an investigation by Ontario’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU).

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The officer was being investigated for actions that occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 26 in a plaza parking lot near the Walmart store located in the 3100 block of Dougall Avenue.

Police were called around 2:20 pm in response to a man yelling at customers inside Walmart and had allegedly pointed a pocket blow torch in the direction of a security officer.

A second complaint to police was received after the same man was next said to have entered a nearby Baskin-Robbins with what appeared to be a gun in his hands.

When officers arrived they located the man in the plaza parking lot and attempted to arrest him.

But the man fled leading officers to chase him on foot.

An officer caught the man and a scuffle ensued which eventually led to the officer repeatedly punching the man in the head area, according to the SIU investigation.

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The officer also used a stun gun — his conducted energy weapon (CEW) — which was deployed three times, according to the investigation.

Another officer arrived on the scene and the man was handcuffed, but soon after had to be transported to hospital due to his injuries.

He was diagnosed with a broken nose and orbital hematoma.

Video footage from the Baskin-Robbins showed the officer telling the man to “stop, don’t move” during the struggle and before punching him and then using the stun gun.

The man chose not to be interviewed by SIU investigators afterwards.

“Based on what the officer knew of the calls for service that had been received by the police and what he was able to ascertain directly by briefly speaking with a person from Baskin-Robbins as he arrived at the plaza parking lot, who pointed out the complainant out to the officer, I am satisfied that the complainant was subject to lawful arrest on a weapons charge,” said Joseph Martino, director of the Special Investigations Unit.

“I am also satisfied that the quantum of force used by the (officer), though significant, fell within the bounds of legally justified force. The officer had caused to believe that the complainant was in possession of a firearm and that, therefore, it was imperative to arrest the complainant as quickly as possible.”


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