Halton Hills officer facing assault charge

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Halton Police officer has been charged with assault in connection with an incident involving a Brampton man who had been taken into custody in Halton Hills last September. Halton Police Public Affairs Officer Sgt. Jeff Corey said a summons has been issued for Const. Carson Henderson who is to appear in Burlington Provincial Court February 28 concerning the charge. Corey would not release specific details about the Sept. 27, 2005 incident that occurred after a 31-year-old Brampton man was arrested on criminal charges, but said the man received minor injuries and did not require medical attention. "It did not occur in a police facility," said Corey. "There were a number of witnesses to the incident." The Ontario Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is not investigating the matter because the injuries were minor, said Corey. The SIU is a provincial agency, which probes cases of civilian injury, sexual assault and death that occur in contact with police. Corey said Halton Police lay a "significant number" of assault charges each year that are never released to the media, and would not have released this incident, except for the fact it involved a police officer. Details on Henderson's age and address were not released Corey said, because "police officers have unique concerns with respect to personal information." He said Henderson has three-and-a-half years experience as a police officer. Henderson has not been reassigned, and remains working in his current position as a patrol officer in Halton Hills, said Corey. The incident was brought to the attention of Henderson's police supervisor immediately after it occurred said Corey, and police have been investigating the matter since then. He said they faced "a number of challenges" in locating and interviewing witnesses.