Contact

Media Room

Media Inquiries:

Members of the media can use our dedicated media phone line or email address to contact LECA. Please indicate if you are working to deadline.

Phon: 416-314-4517

Email: lecamedia@ontario.ca

Facts about the LECA:

  • Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) – formerly known as the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) will continue to receive, screen, and investigate complaints from the public about the conduct of all municipal, regional, and provincial (OPP) police officers in Ontario.
  • LECA’s mandate expanded to include complaints about the conduct of special constables employed by the Niagara Parks Commission, Peace Officers in the Legislative Protective Service, and First Nations Police Services if their services opt into the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA).
  • As of April 01, 2024, LECA no longer has jurisdiction over policing policy and service. The Inspectorate of Policing will review matters involving the adequacy and effectiveness of police services.
  • The Ontario Police Arbitration and Adjudication Commission is now responsible for hearings and for ensuring that decisions after a disciplinary hearing are published online.
  • LECA cannot investigate, recommend, or lay criminal charges.
  • As a civilian arm’s-length agency of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, our decisions are independent from the Ontario government, the police, and the community.
  • LECA is committed to ensuring that complaints about police are dealt with in a manner that is transparent, effective, and fair to both the public and the police.

Complaints Director Stephen Leach:

Confidentiality

LECA is governed by the confidentiality provisions of the CSPA and is mandated to protect the privacy of all individuals involved in the complaints process. Under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, LECA cannot provide third parties with any information about complaints or investigations except in accordance with the law.

Links:

Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019

LECA Legislation, Rules, and Regulations

LECA Annual Reports

Systemic Reviews

LECA has the power to conduct issues of systemic nature. The purpose of a systemic review is to determine whether systemic failings have occurred and identify issues to be addressed in order to make recommendations for change, rather than assign individual fault. A systemic review will sometimes be done at the same time as a conduct investigation, although they involve separate procedures.

In accordance with the CSPA, before commencing a review, the Complaints Director will notify the Inspector General.

Following a review, the Complaints Director may

(a)  make written recommendations to the Inspector General, the Minister, a chief of police, a police service board or any other person or body; and

(b)  require in writing that a person or body to whom recommendations are made provide a written response, which must include a statement as to whether the recommendations have been accepted and, if not, the reasons why.

The Complaints Director will issue a report of the systemic review under this part and publish the report on this website.

OIPRD Systemic Reviews