Update: officer charged – Kingston Police investigating officer-involved collision

Update (Monday, Feb. 27, 2023 at 3:20 p.m.):
In response to Kingstonist inquiries regarding whether the officer involved in the collision on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, and was subsequently charged will receive any disciplinary action, Const. Anthony Colangeli, Acting Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police, said, “The matter is being reviewed but, as it’s a personnel issue, we won’t be providing anything further on that at this time.”

Update (Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, at 3:17 p.m.):
Kingston Police have provided a correction of the information previously issued in a press release on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023. As opposed to an offence of “drive without a properly working seatbelt,” police have now clarified that the officer involved in the collision was actually charged with “failing to wear a seatbelt.” This charge is still for an offence under the Highway Traffic Act.

Update (Friday, Feb. 24, 2023):
An officer with Kingston Police has been charged in connection with a collision that occurred on Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.

According to an email from Kingston Police in response to Kingstonist inquiries, the officer involved in the collision, which occurred at the intersection of Princess Street and Taylor Kidd Boulevard/John Counter Boulevard, has been issued two provincial offence notices.

Officers did not initially say what those notices were for, however, police later issued a press release on the matter.

“As a result of the collision and subsequent investigation, two provincial offence notices were issued to a member of the Kingston Police. These notices were issued for the offences of Red light – fail to stop and Drive with seatbelt assembly inoperative,” Kingston Police said in a statement, referring to the officer failing to stop for a red light and operating a vehicle without a properly working seatbelt, both provincial offences under the Highway Traffic Act.

Kingstonist has inquired with Kingston Police as to whether the officer in question will receive any disciplinary action as a result of these charges. This article will be updated if/when more information becomes available.

Update (Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, at 2 p.m.):
Neither the officer involved in the collision at Princess Street and John Counter Boulevard/Taylor Kidd Boulevard on Monday morning, nor those travelling in the other vehicle involved, sustained serious injuries, according to Kingston Police.

In response to inquiries from Kingstonist, Kingston Police explained that there were three people in the civilian vehicle involved in the collision, which occurred during the morning rush hour of Monday, Jan. 30, 2023. Those three people, like the officer involved, were taken to Kingston General Hospital (KGH) by Frontenac Paramedics, said Const. Ash Gutheinz, Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police. All four individuals involved in the collision were assessed at hospital, treated for their minor injuries, and released later in the day, he noted.

According to Gutheinz, “the investigation is ongoing at this time to determine the cause of this Motor Vehicle Collision,” therefore it is unknown if any charges will be laid as a result of the incident.

Update (Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, at 2:30 p.m.):
According to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), their organization has not been called in to investigate the collision involving a Kingston Police officer and vehicle that occurred at the intersection of Princess Street and Taylor Kidd Boulevard/John Counter Boulevard earlier today.

Update (Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, at 1:16 p.m.):
According to Kingston Police, all roadways have now been reopened to traffic following the on-scene investigation into the collision.

Original article (Monday, Jan. 30, at 12:55 p.m.):
Lanes of the roadway at the busy intersection of Princess Street and John Counter Boulevard/Taylor Kidd Boulevard were shut down for several hours following a collision involving two vehicles, one of which was a Kingston Police cruiser.

The incident occurred on the morning of Monday, Jan. 30, 2023, at approximately 8:45 a.m. Those who witnessed the crash described it as a T-bone collision, and stated that the Kingston Police cruiser was travelling with its lights activated, but not with its siren on. According to witnesses, the cruiser went through a red light where it was struck by a vehicle driving through the intersection on a green light. A number of Kingston Police cruisers and two ambulances from Frontenac Paramedic Services attended the scene, where police then shut down one of the eastbound lanes of Taylor Kidd Boulevard, and the westbound lanes of Taylor Kidd Boulevard entirely.

According to Kingston Police, the officer in the cruiser was transported to hospital by ambulance. Police did not have any information on whether injuries were sustained by anyone in the other vehicle involved.

Asked whether the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) – a civilian law enforcement agency in Ontario that is called in to investigate police incidents that involve death, serious injury, the discharge of a firearm, or a sexual assault – had been called to investigate the collision, Const. Ash Gutheinz, Media Relations Officer for Kingston Police, said he did not have that information. Kingstonist has inquired with the SIU as to whether they’ve been called in to investigate the matter, however, response from the SIU was not received by time of publication.

Gutheinz indicated that police hope to have the roadways re-opened in near future, but with no specific time given, as of 12:30 p.m. the same day.

Kingstonist will update this article as more information becomes available.