Ontario’s police watchdog has charged three Belleville police officers with assault causing bodily harm in connection with an arrest two years ago.
Thursday, director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) Joseph Martino said the officers acted criminally when arresting a 34-year-old man on Nov. 15, 2019.
The arrest happened inside the KFC/Taco Bell restaurant located at 336 North Front Street.
The man was sent to hospital serious injuries after the arrest, the SIU said.
Following an investigation into the incident, the SIU has charged constables Kyle Dodds, Paul Fyke and Jeffrey Smith with one count of assault causing bodily harm.
The officers are scheduled to appear at a Belleville court June 21.
This is the second time in a matter of months that Belleville police officers face assault causing bodily harm charges from the SIU.
In a statement sent out Thursday, Belleville Police Chief Michael Callaghan asked the community not to “prejudge” the officers, and noted that this is a difficult time for the officers, their families and the other members of the service.
“The Belleville Police Service understands and is very cognizant that any charges against our officers are very challenging as a community and as a policing community,” Callaghan said.
Callaghan also noted that of the 30,000 calls for service in 2020, Belleville police received seven complaints investigated by the SIU and the Office of the Independent Police Review Directorate, accounting for just 0.02 per cent of all calls.
“This statistic provides a snapshot of the professionalism of the women and men of the Belleville Police Service,” he said.
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