Complaints

Request a Review

Complaints Investigated by a Police Service

If your complaint was investigated by a police service and either unsubstantiated or substantiated less serious and you disagree with the decision, you may ask the OIPRD to review the decision.

You must request a review within 30 days of receiving the decision from the police service.

To request a review, you must complete and submit a Request a Review form.

On the Request a Review form, please include the following information:

  • Reasons for requesting a review
  • Specify the outcome you would like
  • Include any evidence that supports your request

Please remember to include your complaint number and sign the form.

How Will the OIPRD Handle my Review?

When the OIPRD receives your completed Request a Review form, we will send you a letter confirming we have received your request.

The OIPRD will then contact the police service to tell them you have requested a review and give them a copy of your form. We will ask the police to send us the entire investigation file for your complaint. When we receive the file from the police, an OIPRD investigator examines the file and presents the findings to a review panel for evaluation.

Upon review of the findings, the Director may:

  • Confirm the chief’s decision
  • Vary the chief’s decision
  • Direct the chief to deal with the complaint as the Director specifies
  • Assign the investigation to another service
  • Take over the investigation
  • Direct the chief to take other actions as the Director deems necessary or take action independently, including substituting his finding that misconduct was substantiated and directing the chief to hold a hearing

Complaints investigated by the OIPRD

You may not request a review of an investigative finding if the OIPRD conducted the investigation.

If you wish to appeal the decision, you must bring an application for a judicial review to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.