Ontario's police watchdog has cleared a Sault police officer of criminal wrongdoing after investigating an allegation that a man was sexually assaulted nearly two years ago during a high-risk takedown.
The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) was notified in January that a sexual assault was reportedly perpetrated by a Sault Ste. Marie Police Service officer against a 42-year-old man while executing a search during a high-risk takedown in November 2021.
The complainant accused the officer of groping his testicles during the search, which produced a quantity of crack cocaine.
“On SIU Director Joseph Martino’s assessment of the evidence, there were no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the complaint of sexual assault,” said the SIU, in a news release issued Friday. “There was no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file has been closed.”
The watchdog is currently investigating two other sexual assault allegations against Sault Ste. Marie Police Service.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of police officials that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault or the discharge of a firearm at a person.