Civilian Oversight

Civilian Police Oversight in Ontario

There are three agencies that oversee different areas relating to police services.

Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD)

The Office of the Independent Police Review Director is responsible for receiving, managing and overseeing all public complaints about the police in Ontario. As a civilian arm’s-length agency of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, our decisions are independent from the government, the police and the public.

Our goals is to provide an independent, effective, transparent and accessible public complaints system that is fair to both the public and the police and builds confidence in the public complaint process.

Our office cannot investigate, recommend or lay criminal charges.

Special Investigations Unit

The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) conducts investigations of incidents involving the police that have resulted in death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault. The SIU is a civilian law enforcement agency independent of the police. For more information about the SIU, please visit www.siu.on.ca.

Ontario Civilian Police Commission

The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) is an independent quasi-judicial agency that hears appeals of police disciplinary decisions; adjudicates disputes between municipal councils and police service boards involving budget matters; conducts hearings into requests for the reduction, abolition, creation or amalgamation of police services; conducts investigations and inquiries into the conduct of chiefs of police, police officers and members of police services boards; determines the status of police service members; and provides general enforcement relating to the adequacy and effectiveness of policing services. For more information about the OCPC, please visit their website.

Civilian Police Oversight in Canada

There are a number of police oversight agencies in Canada. Please visit the individual websites to get more information about how each agency operates.