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TORONTO – Brampton Mayor Linda Jeffrey said she’s been vindicated by a police watchdog’s report, but Mayor of Brampton says she was never told of there being evidence of police brutality and she has nothing to be vindicated about.
Six officers were handed suspensions ranging from one day to more than eight months on Monday after Toronto Police Services Board received the results of the SIU’s investigation into a June, 2017 incident.
SIU director Tony Loparco says there was no evidence of criminal misconduct and that there was “no risk to the public.”
He says a prosecutor recommended the officers received “corrective orders” to ensure that future incidents of “potential criminal misconduct” were stopped.
I’ve been vindicated. I said, that if something was found wrong, I was going to be behind my police service when they did the right thing. But I’ve been vindicated.
The board says it’s pleased the SIU report indicates “no criminality” was found.
The matter raised in the SIU probe involved “dispute about the manner in which the complainant, a Brampton resident, had been tackled and detained.”
According to the SIU report, “several officers assisted in taking (the complainant) to the ground.”
They continued, “As a result, when one of the officers went to comfort (the complainant), (the complainant) was heard saying ‘He is hurting me’.”
SIU said that moment was taken “seriously” by the witness officers.
“I’ve been vindicated. I said, that if something was found wrong, I was going to be behind my police service when they did the right thing. But I’ve been vindicated.
My commitment was to tell the truth and I think it’s good that the SIU report has vindicated that.”
Sections of the SIU’s report on the incident make reference to injuries the complainant suffered and other evidence the SIU says was reviewed at the time.
“There was no sign of excessive force, no signs of being held with illegal, unreasonable pressure,” said SIU.
A source tells CNN the complainant was treated for bruises, nerve damage and a fractured finger after she was attacked by the officers.
One of the officers involved in the assault remains on active duty.
City director Jim Kirchhoff says the full story needs to be told.
“If anyone knew the real story that there were actual injuries, maybe an OPP investigation would’ve been recommended,” Kirchhoff said.
The decision to suspend the officers was made Monday night after the board met with SIU.
“(That) is an extremely serious matter that actually was an investigation into a sworn officer who had physically assaulted a citizen,” the board president Jamie Cripps told reporters after Monday night’s meeting.
The board has determined the officers acted with “gross negligence,” Cripps said.
SIU is a civilian organization that investigates incidents involving police in Ontario.
The SIU probe involved a citizen complaint filed against one of the six officers.
The SIU was called to the scene following the arrest of the complainant at a store in Brampton on June 29, 2017.
The incident began when the officer had contact with the complainant at the store.
Two subsequent SIU investigations also looked into the officer’s conduct and the “further physical restraint and arrest.”
The SIU has declined to comment on the case because it’s still open.