The Office of the Independent Police Review Director has investigated  the actions of a Sault Ste Marie police officer during the arrest of a man in March of 2016.

In a report, it says that three allegations of misconduct under the Police Services Act have been substantiated. According to Joel Dubois, a lawyer acting for the Chief of Sault Ste Marie Police, this does not mean a finding of guilt, but rather that a hearing date must be set.

The allegations include unlawful or unnecessary use of force, discreditable conduct and neglect of duty.

The allegations stem from an incident in March 2016 in which Constable Matthew Keating was responding to a call from Tim Mitchell's son.

Keating says he observed that Mitchell had breached a recognizance to abstain from alcohol

Keating says that he warned Mitchell he was going to be arrested and Mitchell responded angrily, stood up and started to swear at police, ordering them to leave.

Keating said he instructed Mitchell several times to put his hands behind his back or he would be hit. Keating says he struck Mitchell in the left rib area with a closed fist. Another officer was eventually able to put handcuffs on Mitchell and he was taken to the police station.

Mtichell complained of pain in his side and was taken to hospital where he was not diagnosed with any broken bones.

He was eventually found to have broken ribs and due to medical complications led to him being in a coma.

Later that year, Keating was cleared of excessive use of force by the Special Investigations Unit. That agency investigates incidents involving police where there has been a death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

In 2018, a judge reviewed the evidence and dropped charges against Mitchell, finding unlawful force was used and that his Charter right to a lawyer was violated.

Mitchell is also suing the Sault Police Services Board for $6.5 million in compensation.


Sources: 

OIPRD report substantiates allegations of misconduct against Sault Ste Marie police officer Matthew Keating
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/matthew-keating-guilty-police-services-act-charges-1.4977799

Judge finds Sault Ste. Marie Police used excessive force in 2016 arrest
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/excessive-force-sault-ste-marie-police-breach-arrest-judge-siu-1.4545996

   

Its our opinion, the police officers who are responsible for taking Timmy into custody used excessive force which led to breaking three ribs.

They should be held accountable for the further damage that Timmy suffered. If they had not used excessive force in the first place, he would not have suffered the extensive injuries that took place after the fact, which led to emergency surgery, being placed in an induced coma which required life support.

At this time, he continues to fight for his life and we continue to seek justice for him. We pray for a full recovery, however, the long term prognoses may not be known for some time.

As we wait for the SIU to conclude its investigation, they were mainly used as an avenue to gain media attention.

Over 5,500 views were noted on youtube, CTV gave regional coverage, hundreds of shares were done on Facebook and Northern Hoot , who in our opinion, wrote an accurate and exceptional article.

Thanks to all and especially thanks to the Special Investigation Unit whose mandate is “to fostering public confidence in policing in the province by ensuring thorough and independent investigations that stand up to public scrutiny”.

Anyone who has been a victim of police brutality or suffered injuries as a result of mistreatment by a person whose first responsibility is to protect and serve, we highly recommend that you seek their assistance .

We could not have achieved this without them.


~Tims Family~ xo 

   

Update on Sault man badly hurt in custody Sootoday David Helwig his slander machine is starting up by circulating a photo on social media denigrating the latest Sault Ste Marie Police beating victim with a beer bottle, creating room in the Court of public opinion, for the Sault finest that this was a justified beating? 

It is David's Helwig way to help out the Cooperation of Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada.

David's Helwig wanted Wednesday  "Looking for 7 criminals who where criminal assaulting a suicidal man on Easter weekend"  Sault Ste Marie Police Covering up their harassments against the residents ... local false media outlets
 
Tim Mitchell remains in a medically-induced coma in Sault Area Hospital's intensive care unit, but his daughter says he showed signs of improvement when she visited him at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

- - - Actual data parse by Sootoday David Helwig of local Slander tabloid 

Tim Mitchell, the 54-year-old Saultite who's in intensive care following his arrest by City Police last week, is not the kind of guy you'd want to accompany to the food store, his daughter Amy-Lee Campbell says.

"You try to go to the grocery store and he’ll talk to everyone in the store and everyone in the parking lot," Campbell says.

"He’ll make five new friends and offer to fix their cars. He'll give you the shirt off his back."

Mitchell is not doing much shopping this week.

He lies in Sault Area Hospital in what Campbell says is a medically-induced coma.

One of his lungs, she says, is collapsed.

He has broken ribs.

He has a punctured duodenum.

He's in septic shock with dangerously low blood pressure.

And Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has three officers in the Sault trying to find out what happened on March 26, when Mitchell was arrested for breach of a recognizance that prohibited him from consuming alcohol.

City Police have acknowledged that a struggle occurred and Mitchell was taken to Sault Area Hospital.

He was then released from hospital without treatment and taken to Algoma Remand Centre.

The following day, Mitchell was brought back to hospital, where it was found that he had broken bones.

Campbell is from Sudbury.

She and other family members are gathered at Mitchell's home on Weldon Avenue.

At 9 p.m. last night, they visited Mitchell in intensive care.

"I’d like to think he's doing well under the circumstances," Campbell told SooToday. "But he’s not out of the woods yet."

His previously swollen face "looked great," she said.

"But there's still a lot of swelling in his hands and legs, feet and ankles."

"I would ask everybody to please send love his way, because we really want him to pull out of this."

Campbell says her dad has been given medication to raise his dangerously low blood pressure.

Earlier on Wednesday, she says he was given a blood transfusion.

"He seems to be doing a bit better. He's now off the blood pressure meds."

Campbell expects doctors will keep her dad in a coma for some time, but nurses told her yesterday that he appeared to be responding by grunting when they tried to get his attention.


Mitchell is the second-youngest of 11 siblings.

Only siblings are being allowed to visit his hospital room, Campbell says.

That's sad, she says, because many of his nieces and nephews are Mitchell's age and they are close.

About 20 friends and relatives are showing up daily at Mitchell's house to offer encouragement.

Campbell had been concerned that her father's feet were shackled to his hospital bed even though he was in a medically induced coma.

Last night, she found that only one foot was shackled and arrangements had been made to alternate between ankles in the future.

Campbell acknowledges that her father had developed a drinking habit over the past year and a half.

She says he was a weekend drinker and he imbibed mostly at home.

Mitchell was educated in the Sault at White Pines.

He worked as a labourer, did odd jobs for friends and was a stay-at-home father.

When Campbell saw him in the hospital before he was placed in a coma, she says his first words to her were: "Please get me a lawyer and take a picture. I’m not talking in front of them."

By them, he was referring to correctional officers who stay in his room 24 hours a day, she said.

Campbell said an official from the Algoma Remand Centre was very upset that the family allowed CTV reporter Jairus Patterson into Mitchell's hospital room yesterday.

She said she was given a list of new restrictions on visitors, prohibiting cell phones and cameras, among other things.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have witnessed police officers encountering Tim Mitchell to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529.

   

more questions need to be raised, his son called the police because he was suicidal, yet they find a small reason to arrest him like breach when they found he was drinking. so it went from a suicide call to arrest, to beating.... it's an outrage, and for the family to be scared and intimidated to NOT talk to outsiders from fear of cops retaliating against them.... SSM cover up

   

MISSISSAUGA, ON - (5 April, 2016) - The province’s Special Investigations Unit is (SIU) probing the circumstances surrounding the arrest of a 55-year-old man in Sault Ste. Marie.

Preliminary information suggests the following:

1. On March 26, 2016, Sault Ste. Marie Police received a 911 call.
   
   


2. Officers responded to a residence, where a 55-year-old man was arrested for a breach of recognizance following a brief struggle.
   
   


3. After the arrest, the man was taken to the Sault Area Hospital.
   
   


4. He was released without treatment and taken to the Algoma Remand Centre. 
   
   


5. On March 27, 2016, the man was returned to hospital where further tests found broken bones.   
   
   


6. Three investigators have been assigned to this incident.

The SIU is urging anyone who may have witnessed the incident to contact the lead investigator at 1-800-787-8529. 

The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault. Under the Police Services Act, the Director of the SIU must

1. consider whether an officer has committed a criminal offence  in connection with the incident under investigation
   
   


2. depending on the evidence, lay a criminal charge against the officer if appropriate or close the file without any charges being laid
   
   


3. report the results of any investigations to the Attorney General. 
   
   
   

   

Hello the SIU* The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is saying the only injuries that the officers did was the broken ribs, can you believe that. Its funny that he was in good health that night before they arrived...what a joke...I cant believe it my cousin was roughed up at the hospital here and when my 85 aunt requested thru freedom of information the tapes were erased.

The tape showed officers punching her grandson in the face numerous times which he stated they did. My aunt took the tape to a professional and they said there was something on it but it was deleted....my aunt told them that there lucky she didn't have money cause she would of sued the hospital and the police officer that was interviewing them during the review of the tapes...just another assault which is being shoved under the carpet I just want to thank you for your concern for my brother. Its so corrupt here ...the police are following me know...is that right for speaking out?

Conversation 350PM April 06 2016

bail hearing tomorrow morning at 10 AM Sault Ste Marie Ontario Canada Court house / to be adjourned its on ctv news shows my brother with arms tied down but it doesnt show shackles northernontario.ctvnews.ca/video?

   

I am from sault ste marie people are so angry and upset..This was uncalled for by the police Tim and his family shouldn't be going through this.