Cop on active duty despite judge’s finding he pay $28K to man for assault
TORONTO — A constable who bloodied a man during a wrongful arrest almost nine years ago remains on active duty despite a scathing decision by a judge, who recently found the officer liable for $28,500 in damages for assault and malicious prosecution.
In a statement Friday, the chief of Niagara Regional Police said he had ordered a review of last week’s civil judgment against Const. Matt Pouli and would have no comment pending its completion.
The incident in August 2008 left Garett Rollins, who was celebrating his 19th birthday at a house party in Niagara Falls, Ont., with a bruised and bloodied face, chipped tooth, and a charge of assaulting a police officer. Rollins was acquitted at trial a year later.
He then sued the officer — along with the police service, the police board, and the municipality — in a case that finally came to trial last September.