Sault police cleared in two sexual assault investigations

A police watchdog for Ontario has terminated two investigations into sexual assault allegations involving members of Sault Ste. Marie Police Service — while three other sexual assault claims involving the municipal police force remain under investigation.

The pair of investigations tossed out by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) stemmed from allegations made in early January of this year. 

One of those investigations was terminated because the “incident determined to fall outside of SIU jurisdiction and/or there was patently nothing to investigate,” according to the SIU website. 

Three other investigations into sexual assault allegations against Sault Ste. Marie Police Service members — one from December 2022 and two from late January 2023 — are still ongoing. 

One of the three active investigations is currently being reviewed by the SIU director.  

There have now been five allegations of sexual assault levelled at Sault Ste. Marie Police Service since December 2022. It remains unclear how many complainants or members of the police service the investigations involve. 

Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Chief Hugh Stevenson told reporters during a Police Services Board meeting last week that he wasn’t in a position to offer any details.    

“Under SIU investigations, I can’t comment on them — but I can tell you that any allegations against our members that are within the purview of SIU will be referred to them immediately, and we let them do a thorough investigation,” he said.

The SIU is an independent civilian law enforcement agency that conducts criminal investigations into circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in serious injury, death or allegations of sexual assault.

SooToday has reached out to SIU for additional information.