There are three ways to make a complaint about police.
A complainant can go into a police station and simply have a conversation to clear up a question or complaint.
A Local Resolution allows the police to solve, explain, clear up or settle a matter considered to be “less serious” directly with the complainant. The complaint must be dealt with in person at a police station by a senior officer designated by the police chief within 30 days of the incident.
Find out more about Local Resolution.
Police officers are expected to act with honesty and integrity and not abuse the extraordinary powers and authority they are granted. Police officers are also expected to treat people with respect and to act in a manner that does not discredit or undermine public confidence in the police service.
The police Code of Conduct identifies 10 acts as potential matters for investigation and possible discipline:
Please see Ontario Regulation 268/10 Part VII for more information about the Code of Conduct.
The OIPRD accepts complaints about sworn police officers from municipal and regional police services in Ontario and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).
The OIPRD does not have jurisdiction over:
To make a complaint about the officers listed above, please contact the police service, transit system or university directly.
To complain about an RCMP officer, please contact the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP.
To complain about a military police officer, please contact the Military Police Complaints Commission.
Anyone who has had an interaction with police in Ontario can make a complaint. You do not have to be an Ontario resident to make a complaint.
You can make a complaint about a police officer if you:
The OIPRD does not accept anonymous or unsigned complaints. Anonymous complaints do not provide a way for complainants or witnesses to be interviewed, for the respondent officer to answer to the complaint, or for the complaint to be properly investigated.
The following people cannot make a complaint with the OIPRD:
The OIPRD accepts complaints about the conduct of a police officer, or the policies or services of a police service.
It is best to make your complaint within six months of the incident. Complaints received after six months may be screened out.
The Director may choose to accept a complaint after the six month period if:
Please see our Complaint Forms page to access our online complaint form or download a PDF form, as well as tips on what you should include in your complaint.