The province's Special Investigations Unit has found no wrongdoing by Guelph Police in the arrest and injury of a naked man a year ago.
The incident happened on July 15 around 9:30 a.m. after several calls to police regarding a naked man walking on Macdonell Street.
Two officers approached the man as he walked up the entrance ramp to a downtown parkade. He began rummaging inside the open door of a van and when he didn't respond to the officers' questions he was apprehended under the Mental Health Act.
Once handcuffed he became combative and kicked out at one of the officers four times, hitting the officer once. The officer struck the man once and the man became compliant.
He was transported to Guelph General Hospital and diagnosed with a broken nose.
"The subject officer was on sound footing when he decided to apprehend the man pursuant to the Mental Health Act. The man's bizarre behaviour combined with non-responsiveness was sufficient to justify the officer's concern for the man's safety," said SIU Director Tony Loparco in his decision.
"The subject officer delivered a strike in response to the man lashing out physically and kicking another officer. The purpose of the strike was to subdue the man and the single punch immediately achieved that aim."
The ruling found the use of force was reasonable given the circumstances.
Four investigators and one forensic investigator looked into the case.
A total of 17 people were interviewed: the complainant, the subject officer, 11 civilian witnesses and four witness officers.
