Public Complaint

Emergency call 9-1-1

 

The Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services, (OCCOPS), is an independent civilian quasi-judicial agency that reports to the Solicitor General and Minister of Correctional Services. It oversees the adequacy and effectiveness of policing. The Pembroke Police Service has in place a public complaints process which conforms to all provincial guidelines, and is intended to ensure a high degree of public accountability, and professionalism

Definition of a Complaint

There are two kinds of complaints. They relate to:
1. The policies or services provided by a police service, or
2. The conduct of a police officer

Making a Complaint

Any member of the public, who is directly affected by the conduct of an officer of a municipal police service or the Ontario Provincial Police, may file a complaint. A complaint must be in writing, signed by the complainant and mailed, or delivered to any police station or detachment office of the police service named in the complaint, or sent to OCCOPS. A public complaint form may also be picked up and filled out at the Pembroke Police Service. Note: In order to protect the confidentiality of complaints, we do not accept complaints by E-Mail.

Time Limits

A complaint must normally be filed within six months after the incident occurs.

 

General Information About Complaints

The Chief of Police has 30 days to decide how a complaint is to proceed. Initially a chief may refuse to deal with a complaint because the incident happened more than 6 months previous, because the complainant is not directly affected by the circumstances, or if the complaint is deemed, in the chief's opinion, to be frivolous, vexatious, or made in bad faith. These decisions can be subject of a review by OCCOPS, upon request. The Commission (OCCOPS) may at any point intervene and direct the chief to process a complaint, or assign it to be investigated by another police service.

If the complaint is deemed to be about policies or services, rather than conduct of an officer, the complainant will be notified in writing, and can request that OCCOPS review that decision. The Police Service Amendments Act, 1997, allows for informal resolution of complaints if the police officer and complainant agree. This can occur before or during the investigation, or after the investigation where the chief concludes there was misconduct, but not of a serious nature. A complainant may withdraw an allegation at any time, in writing. The chief has the discretion to continue the investigation. Decisions can range from the complaint not be substantiated, the complaint being withdrawn, the complaint being resolved informally, or the complaint being resolved by a formal discipline hearing, with penalty set by a hearing officer. Decisions can be appealed to the Commission (OCCOPS).

Further Information

For further information on Public Complaints against a Police Service you can contact the following:

Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services
25 Grosvenor Street, 1st Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 1Y6
Toll-Free 1-888-515-5005
Toll Free Fax 1-888-311-7555
website: www.occps.ca
(French Service Available at this site)
This is the Solicitor General's Site

 

Pembroke Police Service

169 William Street

Pembroke Ontario

K8A 1N7

613-732-9975