Complaints

 

Is your complaint about the RCMP? If yes, please go to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission website to find out how to make a complaint about the RCMP. We do not oversee complaints about RCMP officers.

You can make a complaint in several ways:

  • Fill in the form directly on our website by clicking the Submit Online Complaint button below.
  • Submit a complaint over the phone by calling the OPCC at 1-877-999-8707 (no cost), or make a complaint in person at our office.
  • Go to any municipal police department. They are required to assist you in making a complaint. The police department will then forward the complaint for us to review.
  • Download this fillable PDF complaint form and send it to us by email at info@opcc.bc.ca. Or, you can print the form and mail it to us or drop it off at any municipal police station. They will assist and advise you, provide a copy, and send one to us for review.

Our complaint form is available in 8 languages:

Filling in the form

Completing the Complaint Form helps with processing your complaint. The Complaint Form asks for the information required for processing: your first and last name, contact details, the municipal police department involved, date and location of the incident, and description of what happened. Other information is optional but very helpful. Instructions are included on the form. If you have any difficulty in filling in the form, we can assist you.

Online complaint form

We have created the online Complaint Form for documenting your concerns.

Submit Online Complaint

Confirmation your form is received

We send you a confirmation when your form is submitted to us. Here’s a link to explain what happens during the complaint process.

Support

There are also a wide variety of support agencies available to assist you through the complaint process. Please call our office at 1 (877) 999-8707 (toll-free) or (250) 356-7458 and ask for the Outreach and Accessibility Coordinator, who will help you find the right support for your needs.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) complaints

The OPCC does not have the legal authority to investigate Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) complaints. Please go to the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission website to find out about making complaints involving the RCMP.

Your rights

If you have a complaint regarding a municipal police officer or department, you may complete and submit the Complaint Form. If your complaint is determined to be admissible, you will have various rights under the BC Police Act, including:

  • participating in a Complaint Resolution process or Mediation, depending on the nature of the complaint.
  • being kept informed of the progress of the investigation.
  • receiving a final investigation report.
  • being given an opportunity to make submissions on what you feel are appropriate disciplinary or corrective measures.
  • if not satisfied with the outcome, the ability to request the Police Complaint Commissioner to order a review of the decision.

Questions or Concerns

If you simply want the police department and the OPCC to know about your concerns, but do not wish to participate in the formal complaint process, you may file a Question or Concern directly with the police department you have a concern about. Depending on the information provided, it may or may not result in an investigation and you will not have the same rights as set out above.

Contact information for municipal police departments can be found on our Jurisdiction and Legislation page.