Ottawa police officers cleared by SIU after man diagnosed with neck fracture following arrest

The Special Investigations Unit said that, on Feb. 17, 2026, Ottawa police were called about a man banging on a city bus at Bank and Catherine streets

Ontario’s police watchdog has cleared Ottawa Police Service officers after a 36-year-old man was diagnosed with a neck fracture following his arrest on Feb. 17, 2026. On that day, according to a release from the Special Investigations Unit, Ottawa police were called about a man banging on a city bus at Bank and Catherine streets. The release stated that the officers arrested him for mischief, and while doing so took hold of his arms and guided him to the ground.

According to SIU direct Joseph Martino, the release said, the force was necessary and reasonable because the man was being belligerent and was not complying with the officers’ requests. It said video footage of the arrest showed that the force used was minimal. “Director Martino found it doubtful that the man’s injuries were caused by the police,” the release read.

“He found it far more likely that they were from a fight on the bus or self-inflicted when he intentionally banged his head off the bus.” The SIU investigates police interactions that may have resulted in death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm and/or sexual assault. Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

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