OCPC

Important Notice

April 1, 2024

On April 1, 2024, the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA) came into force and the Police Services Act (PSA) was repealed.

The OCPC cannot accept any new appeals, applications, or requests for investigation, and the applicable CSPA entities will assume responsibility for any new cases, as appropriate:

The OCPC continues to work diligently on its adjudicative and investigative caseloads and is making adjustments in accordance with the CSPA and Ontario Regulation 125/24 (Transitional Matters) under the CSPA. At a future date, to be determined by the Ministry of the Attorney General, the OCPC will be dissolved.

About the OCPC


Introduction

The OCPC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency.

On April 1, 2024, the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA) came into force and the Police Services Act (PSA) was repealed. The OCPC cannot accept any new appeals, applications, or requests for investigation, and the applicable CSPA entities will assume responsibility for any new cases, as appropriate.

The OCPC continues to work diligently on its adjudicative and investigative caseloads and is making adjustments in accordance with the CSPA and Ontario Regulation 125/24 (Transitional Matters) under the CSPA. At a future date, to be determined by the Ministry of the Attorney General, the OCPC will be dissolved.

OCPC Divisions

OCPC has two divisions: Adjudicative and Investigative. The divisions operate independently under one Registrar.

Adjudicative Division

Led by the Associate Chair. With the repeal of the PSA and the coming into force of the CSPA, the Adjudicative Division of the Ontario Civilian Police Commission will work to:

  • complete any hearings or appeals under section 25 or Part V of the PSA that were initiated before the day the Police Services Act was repealed and that were not finally determined as of that day;
  • complete any hearings mentioned in section 23 of the Police Services Act that were initiated before the transition date and were not finally determined before that day; and
  • hear an appeal mentioned in subsection 47 (5) of the Police Services Act if the following criteria are satisfied:
    1. Written notice of the appeal was served on the Ontario Civilian Police Commission within the time period specified in subsection 47 (5) of the Police Services Act.
    2. The written notice was served before the transition date.

Investigative Division

Led by the Executive Chair. With the repeal of the PSA and the coming into force of the CSPA, the Investigative Division of the Ontario Civilian Police Commission continues to work diligently on its current investigative caseload and is making adjustments in accordance with the CSPA and Ontario Regulation 125/24 (Transitional Matters) under the CSPA.

The OCPC Investigative Division cannot accept any new cases or requests for investigation. Senders and requesters may wish to submit any such investigative matters to the relevant authority under the CSPA, if applicable:

  1. Inspectorate of Policing
  2. Law Enforcement Complaints Agency
  3. Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission

Public Complaints

The Law Enforcement Complaints Agency – formerly known as the Office of the Independent Police Review Director – is responsible for receiving, managing and overseeing public complaints about misconduct of the following:

  1. All municipal, regional, and provincial (OPP) police officers;
  2. Special Constables employed by the Niagara Parks Commission;
  3. Peace Officers in the Legislative Protective Service; and
  4. First Nations police officers if the police service opts into the CSPA.

The Inspectorate of Policing handles other types of complaints from the public related to compliance with the Community Safety and Policing Act and its regulations by police services and their boards and board members, as well as organizations that employ special constables. The Inspectorate of Policing also accepts complaints about police service board policies and complaints about procedures established by Chiefs of Police. Additionally, they accept disclosures of misconduct from police officers and special constables.