The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared three Windsor police officers in an incident this summer.
A 51-year-old man was arrested on August 12 and searched twice with drugs being confiscated. The suspect was placed in a holding cell, where unknown to the officers, he ingested fentanyl that was hidden in his buttocks.
Once police realized the man was in medical distress, an ambulance was called, and paramedics administered multiple doses of naloxone before taking the man to hospital.
Windsor police notified the SIU, which invoked its mandate. After the investigation, the conclusion was that while there were communication errors, there was no evidence of criminal activity on the part of the officers.
"In the result, while those responsible for the complainant’s care might have been better advised to keep a closer watch and exercise greater precautions with respect to his care in custody, I am not satisfied that any indiscretions, weighed in the balance with the extenuating considerations, transgressed the limits of care prescribed by the criminal law," wrote SIU Director Joseph Martino.
"Accordingly, there is no basis for proceeding with criminal charges in this case, and the file is closed."
The complete report can be read on the SIU's official website.
