Review Process – Frequently Ask Questions
What happens when I request a review?
The CPC will write to the RCMP, advising it of your request for review, and ask it to provide all relevant information regarding your complaint.
Once the CPC has received all the relevant information from the RCMP, the CPC will thoroughly and impartially review your complaint, the RCMP's response, and all relevant materials (e.g. witness statements, police reports and notes, transcripts of pertinent court proceedings, RCMP policies and procedures). Upon completion of the review, the Chair of the CPC will write to the Commissioner of the RCMP, the Minister of Public Safety and to yourself outlining his findings and, if applicable, his recommendations.
What do I need in order to request a review?
You can make a request for review by phone, by email or by completing the request for review form that you will find on the CPC's website. You will also need a copy of the final report (or letter of disposition) from the RCMP provided to you in response to your complaint.
Can I send any material to the CPC?
To ensure the CPC has all the material necessary to conduct its review, it is important that you send the CPC a copy of all relevant documents that you wish to have examined, including your statement with regards to the details of your complaint, any statements from witnesses, court documents, medical reports, etc., as quickly as possible.
What can I expect from the review process?
The result will be a thorough and impartial examination of your complaint. The CPC may make recommendations to the RCMP Commissioner and the Minister of Public Safety. Recommendations can range from remedial training for officers to changes in RCMP policing policy or practices. They do not include monetary compensation for damages. The goal of this process is to provide excellence in policing through accountability.
How long will my review take?
Generally, you will be notified of the results of the review within 120 days of the date you requested the review. The CPC is committed to processing at least 80% of its review files within this 120-day service standard but there are instances where, for particular reasons, additional time is needed. If for some reason additional time is needed to complete your review, we will notify you and keep you up to date on the progress of your review file.
Will I be contacted by the CPC during the review process?
Unless it is deemed absolutely necessary, in most cases the CPC will not contact you during the review process in order that we remain completely impartial at all times while conducting the review. Likewise, the CPC does not contact the RCMP members who are the subject of your complaint.
What other actions can the CPC take?
There are occasions where in the public interest or where it is necessary, the Chair of the CPC will decide to conduct a further investigation into a complaint. A hearing can also be called. You will be advised in the event that this applies to your complaint.
What happens when the review is complete?
If the CPC determines, after a review of all information, that the RCMP responded satisfactorily to your complaint, you will receive a report stating why the CPC considers it was dealt with properly; that will be the final step in dealing with your complaint. On the other hand, if the CPC decides that the RCMP did not deal with the complaint in a satisfactory manner, the CPC will advise you and send an interim report to the Minister of Public Safety and the RCMP Commissioner.
What is an interim report?
An interim report contains findings explaining why the CPC disagrees with the results of the RCMP's investigation into your complaint. It contains the CPC's recommendations to the RCMP regarding your complaint and suggests ways of avoiding reoccurrence of similar conduct. The RCMP Commissioner must review and respond to the interim report.
What is the next step after the interim report?
The RCMP Commissioner provides a response, known as the Commissioner's Notice, indicating that he either agrees or disagrees with the CPC's findings and recommendations. If he agrees with the CPC, he explains what action the RCMP has taken, or will take, in response to the CPC's report. If the Commissioner rejects the CPC's findings or recommendations, the response must contain the reason(s) for the rejection. The Commissioner's Notice must be provided to the CPC and to the Minister of Public Safety.
What happens after the Commissioner's Notice?
The CPC responds to the RCMP Commissioner through a final report, which is also sent to the Minister of Public Safety. The CPC will also send you and the RCMP member(s) involved a copy of the final report. The final report comments on actions taken or proposed by the RCMP Commissioner and is the end of the CPC's involvement in your complaint.
What recourse do I have if I am not satisfied with the result of my review?
In accordance with its mandate, once the CPC has reviewed your complaint and the Chair has made his findings with respect to the conduct of a member of the RCMP, the CPC's mandate in the particular case is ended. Consequently, although any concerns you still have at that point would be noted, no further action can be taken in this matter by the CPC.
If you have additional complaints, which you did not include in your original request for your review, you can file a new complaint with the CPC and it will be dealt with as a new and separate complaint.
How can I contact the CPC if I have any questions?
E-mail:
For reviews: reviews@cpc-cpp.gc.ca
Telephone:
Program Officers are available Monday to Friday
9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST
at the telephone numbers below if you have any concerns or questions regarding your review.
From anywhere in Canada:
1-800-267-6637
From within the Ottawa area: 613-952-1473
Fax:
Ottawa: 1-613-952-8045
Mail:
Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP
Bag Service 1722
Station "B"
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 0B3