

Chris Herhalt, CP24.com





The province’s Special Investigations Unit has cleared a Toronto police officer accused of sexually assaulting activist and mayoral candidate D!onne Renée as she tried to enter police headquarters for a police services board meeting last year.

On Sept. 21, 2017, Renée was inside TPS headquarters on College Street and said that sheasked to use an elevator instead of the stairwell because she had physical difficulties that prevented her from climbing stairs.

She alleged an officer assaulted her as she asked to use the elevator.

CP24’s cameras caught the moments after the alleged incident occurred but not the interaction itself.

The footage showed Renée seated on the floor of police headquarters on College Street. She was then seen getting up and yelling at a group of officers who are surrounding her.

At one point she was heard saying “You can’t just put your hands on people because you think you can. You cannot,” to an officer standing nearby.

SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon said the investigation into the incident was terminated on April 17, 2018 “with no charges issued.”

Neither the SIU nor Renée disclosed the news of the investigation being closed at the time.

The SIU is called to investigate any interaction between an Ontario police officer and a member of the public that results in death, serious injury or an allegation of sexual assault.