Public Complaints
Filing a Complaint
If you have a complaint against the police, you have the following options:
- you can file a formal complaint with the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA);
- Or you can go to a police station and try to have your question or complaint resolved informally by local resolution.
For more information about filing a formal complaint with LECA, please visit LECA’s website.
The Complaints By-Law outlines the Board’s complaints process, including requirements and direction to the Chief of Police with respect to public complaints, local resolution, complaints against the Chief and Deputy Chiefs, complaints about the conduct of a police officer, and complaints about policies and police services.
The Chief is required to report to the Board twice a year on public complaints.
If you have a complaint about the adequacy and effectiveness of policing or a complaint about police service board member misconduct, you have the following options:
The Inspectorate of Policing (IoP) has authority under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, to accept these types of complaints.
- You can file a complaint with the IoP if you believe a police service or police service board is not providing adequate and effective policing, as described in the Community Safety and Policing Act and its regulations.
This applies to the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police services, as well as any First Nations police service that opts into the Community Safety and Policing Act.
- You can file a complaint with the IoP if you believe a member of a police service board has violated the Code of Conduct, as outlined in the Community Safety and Policing Act.
This applies to all members of municipal and OPP detachment boards, and to any First Nations police service board that opts into the Community Safety and Policing Act.