Summary
“The full promise of credible and trustworthy civilian oversight of police has yet to be achieved in Ontario. Public perceptions that oversight bodies, particularly the SIU, are ineffective and subject to police influence continue to persist. Unless our oversight bodies have a clear and robust statutory framework that promotes their independence and impartiality from those they oversee, they will continue to attract public criticism. The citizens of Ontario are entitled to police oversight bodies that are transparent, accountable, effective, and efficient. It is in the public interest to ensure that all three provincial bodies that oversee police are subject to Ombudsman scrutiny. Moreover, the public interest does not stop at the provincial level. To ensure the same transparency and accountability extends through to the community level, local police services boards should be subject to the same Ombudsman oversight as other local government bodies. .”--Page 25.