Ontario’s police watchdog says a Peterborough police officer will not face any criminal charges after a woman suffered a fractured spine during an arrest in January.
In his report issued Wednesday, Jospeh Martino, director of the Special Investigations Unit, said he found found no reasonable grounds to believe that a Peterborough Police Service officer committed a criminal offence in connection with the injuries suffered by a 25-year-old woman on Jan. 18, 2022.
The report says an off-duty officer arrested the woman for a theft at a Charlotte Street store. Martino says the woman attempted to escape on foot, prompting the officer to chase after her and “took her to the ground.”
Martino said the woman was first taken to the police station and initially declined medical attention.
“Several hours later, at her request, paramedics attended and took her to hospital,” the report states. “She was diagnosed with spine fractures.”
The investigation included interviewing several civilian witnesses and four officers and relying on surveillance video. Martino said based on the evidence he was “unable to reasonably conclude” that the force used by the officer in aid of the complainant’s arrest was excessive.
“The takedown itself would not appear to have been executed in an overly aggressive manner,” he stated. “Indeed, that was the impression of a civilian witness present in the vestibule at the time.”
Martino said the takedown arrest was conducted properly and that the injuries were likely the result of the takeodown.
“There are no reasonable grounds to believe that the officer comported himself unlawfully in their engagement,” he said. “Accordingly, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges on this case, and the file is closed.”