About
Who We Are
The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) provides accessible ways to raise concerns about the conduct of municipal police officers or departments in British Columbia (BC). We are an impartial oversight agency—independent of police and government—that monitors and supports the handling of police misconduct complaints and investigation in 15 jurisdictions. While police investigate complaints about misconduct, the OPCC ensures accountability and transparency by reviewing those investigations to confirm they are thorough, fair, and consistent with the law. We work with both the public and the police to ensure complaints are addressed in a respectful, timely and impartial way.
In addition to the oversight of individual complaints, the OPCC now has new systemic powers that allow us to identify, examine, and address broader patterns or issues affecting municipal policing. Through this expanded mandate, we are committed to improving the police complaints process and promoting public trust in municipal policing across BC.
What We Do
We ensure that municipal police complaints in BC are handled professionally, thoroughly, and in accordance with the BC Police Act. Our role includes both oversight of individual complaints and broader systemic approaches aimed at preventing police misconduct and strengthening police accountability.
We work to:
- Ensure municipal policing is accountable.
- Provide an accessible way for the public to raise concerns about municipal police officers or departments.
- Actively oversee complaints and investigations involving municipal police and special municipal constables to ensure they are fair, complete and consistent with the legislation.
- Monitor the administration of discipline and proceedings under the BC Police Act to ensure the purposes of the legislation are met.
- Identify, research, and investigate systemic issues – such as patterns of misconduct, inequitable treatment, or concerns with the complaints process – and make recommendations to address them.
We also:
- Make recommendations to municipal police agencies, Police Boards and government to improve police service delivery in BC, including recommendations on policing, training, and other reforms.
- Suggest improvements to the Police Act to enhance oversight, transparency, and public confidence.
- Maintain records of all municipal police complaints, Police Act investigations and outcomes.
- Compile and publish statistical information and report regularly to the public.
Who We Serve
We support the public and all participants in the police complaint process by providing clear information, guidance, and independent oversight.
When We Receive a Complaint
- Decide whether the complaint can be investigated under the Police Act. This is called an admissibility assessment.
- Monitor the handling of the complaint and keep the people involved informed about its progress.
If a complaint is admissible, it is usually sent to the police department involved for investigation.
As the oversight body, the OPCC has the authority to:
- Order an investigation, in the absence of a complaint.
- Require more investigative steps if further work is needed.
- Send the complaint to a different police agency for investigation.
- Designate a senior police officer from a different police agency or a retired judge as Discipline Authority – the person who decides whether misconduct occurred.
Supporting Accountability
We work to enhance public confidence in police accountability.
- We review all findings related to police misconduct to ensure they are adequate and appropriate.
- If we disagree with a finding, we can send it to a retired judge to review the decision.
- When appropriate, we can also refer a matter to Crown Counsel for consideration of prosecution.
If appropriate, we encourage people to attempt Complaint Resolution to resolve less serious complaints and allow participants to be involved in the outcome of their complaint. You can read more about alternative dispute resolution processes in our Complaint Resolution brochure.