Before Filing a Complaint

1. Consult the page Can we handle your complaint? and the Handling your complaint section in order to judge whether a police ethics complaint is for you.


2. Take as many notes as possible about the event. As soon as possible after the event or situation has unfolded, you should write down as many details as possible related to the event or situation so that you will not forget them when you are ready to file your complaint :
   • When? (date and time/time of day of the start of the event related to your complaint);
   • Where (location of the event related to your complaint);
   • Who? (identification of the persons targeted by your complaint);
   • What and how? (description of the words, actions, inactions of the persons targeted by your complaint and the context of the event). 


3. Gather your evidence. You should also collect your documents as soon as possible and, if you have them, write down your witnesses (with their contact details) related to the event so that you do not lose these elements when you file your complaint. If you know that there is video of the incident, but you do not have it, we recommend that you file your complaint as soon as possible to allow us to recover this evidence before it be lost. Although it is desirable that you give as much detail or evidence as possible about the event or situation, this does not mean that your complaint will be rejected if you do not have the answer to all of our questions.


4. File a complaint quickly, but not too quickly. It is recommended that you file your complaint as soon as possible after the event, in order to avoid forgetting certain pieces of information or seeing certain complaints misplaced or destroyed. However, if you feel overwhelmed with emotion, you can wait for a time when you will feel better able to describe more objectively and calmly what happened. You have one year after the event or your knowledge of the event to file your complaint.

Ways to File a Complaint

• By using our online complaint form. This is the preferred way to file your police ethics complaint.
• By making a telephone appointment with us so that we can help you file your complaint. You can do this by contacting us at 1 877 237-7897.
• By calling on an organization for the defense of citizens' rights or a community organization that offers assistance services for the filing of a police ethics complaint.
• By downloading the complaint form (PDF, 44 kb) and then printing and sending it to us by mail. Vous devez utiliser le logiciel gratuit Acrobat Reader.