A task force looking into improving police oversight in Ontario got an earful at a stop in Ottawa.
Led by Justice Michael Tulloch, the Independent Police Oversight Review is looking at the three provincial bodies involved with police oversight, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC).
Its mandate is to make recommendations on how to improve transparency and accountability, improve effectiveness, and to reduce any overlap and inefficiencies among the three bodies.
The SIU was of particular interest at a public consultation at the Wabano Centre in Ottawa Wednesday night. It’s the unit that investigates injuries and deaths caused by or involving the actions of police officers.
Many say such investigations should be done out in the open, under public scrutiny. Others question whether the police can be trusted to investigate their own. “That’s one of the things I’m going to be recommending,” says Lee-Anne Lee. “That there be more civilian participation.”
The task force is making a number of stops across the province. It will make its final report in March of 2017.
