No charges for officer in Brantford arrest, but other police misconduct possible: SIU

Ontario's police watchdog says there are no reasonable grounds to charge an officer after a man's knee was broken during an arrest in Brantford, Ont., but other officers on the scene who did not turn on their body-worn cameras should be investigated for possible misconduct.

The Special Investigations Unit says police were on the lookout for the 45-year-old man on July 10 because of warrants for his arrest. 

When they found him in the area of Erie Avenue and Veterans Memorial Parkway, the SIU says two officers approached the man, ordered him to the ground and "then physically engaged him on his feet."

The watchdog says more officers arrived and intervened in the arrest, and the man was later diagnosed with a fractured left knee at the hospital.

SIU Director Joseph Martino says while the man's injury is a "likely result" of one officer's kick and takedown, those actions were reasonable and no criminal charges are warranted.

However, Martino says two of the officers who were interviewed in the SIU investigation didn't activate their body-worn cameras, which is a potential violation of the police code of conduct. 

Martino says the incident "also appears to have been reported late to the SIU" by the Brantford police service, in another possible contravention of the code.

The SIU director says he will refer both matters to the police force for their review, and to the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, an independent civilian watchdog.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2026.

By Maan Alhmidi | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.