OPCC Purpose

Mandate

The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) is an independent civilian office of the Legislature of British Columbia. The OPCC provides oversight of complaints and investigations involving municipal police officers and departments and is responsible for the administration of discipline and proceedings under the Police Act.

The OPCC oversees the police complaint process by:

• Assessing the admissibility of complaints received from the public;
• Monitoring and reviewing investigations conducted by police agencies under the Police Act;
• Initiating investigations when authorized; and
• Referring matters for adjudicative review when appropriate.

Through this oversight role, the OPCC ensures that police investigations are conducted thoroughly, professionally, and in a manner that is impartial and fair to all parties.

In addition to its oversight of individual complaints, the OPCC has systemic powers to proactively:

• Identify, research, and investigate systemic issues, including patterns of misconduct, inequitable impacts, or concerns with the municipal complaint process; and
• Make meaningful recommendations to police agencies, police boards, and government aimed at preventing misconduct and strengthening police accountability.

The OPCC also:

• Maintains records of all municipal police complaints, Police Act investigations, and outcomes;
• Creates binding procedures to improve timeliness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the complaints process;
• Can appoint persons to observe and report on misconduct investigations;
• Compiles and publishes statistical information and reports regularly to the public;
• Provides education, information, and assistance to participants in the complaint process, with consideration for the needs of British Columbia’s diverse communities;
• Refers matters to Crown Counsel for consideration of criminal prosecution when appropriate.

The Office has four overarching goals in fulfilling its mandate:

1. To strengthen policing accountability.
2. To provide an accessible, effective, and understandable police
   complaint process.
3. To improve organizational performance.
4. To promote people wellness and development.

Vision

Effective and accessible civilian oversight that builds trust in police accountability.

Mission

The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner advances accountable policing within our communities and enhances public confidence in policing through impartial, transparent civilian oversight.

Values

The OPCC is governed by three fundamental values:

Integrity

We foster trust in the complaint process and treat everyone with respect, while ensuring impartial and principled decision making.

Independence

As an independent office of the legislature, we serve the public objectively and free from any improper influence or interference.

Fairness

We ensure the police complaint process is fair and equitable to all parties, according to law.