LONDON, ON -- Ontario's Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has cleared a London police officer of any wrongdoing in an arrest last summer that left the suspect with a broken finger.

On August 9, 2019, London Police Services were called to a residence for a domestic incident on Huron Street.

Upon arrival, a 30-year-old male with a toy knife began provoking the officers to fight with him.

The suspect, ignoring the order from police to drop the weapon, was taken to the floor.

While in custody of the London police, the suspect complained of pain in his hand potentially due to the incident with the officers.

After being transported to hospital, the man was diagnosed with a broken finger.

Although it was suggested that the first officer on scene was responsible for the injury, the Director of the SIU, Joseph Martino, found there was no basis to believe the officer acted unlawfully.

He said in his report, "I am further satisfied that it was no more than was reasonably necessary to take him into custody… the Complainant took up an aggressive posture while holding a plastic knife and challenging the officer to fisticuffs. The [officer] responded by pushing the Complainant away from him on two occasions and, thereafter, taking him to the floor. The pushes and takedown were, in my view, proportionate and measured responses to an individual acting violently and threatening bodily harm."

As of May 4 the case has since been closed.