Civilian oversight is taking 'a step backwards' in Ford's overhaul, outgoing police watchdog says - 2019-03-30

Civilian oversight is taking 'a step backwards' in Ford's overhaul, outgoing police watchdog says March 30, 2019, Wendy Gillis, Toronto Star

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Ontario's police complaints system is taking a "step backwards" with new legislation that will reduce the independence of its investigations, says the departing head of the Office of the Independent Police Review Director.

Gerry McNeilly — who has been the OIPRD director since the watchdog's creation in 2008 — left his role Friday, the same week Doug Ford's government passed its Comprehensive Ontario Police Services Act (COPS) governing policing and civilian police oversight.

While the new law includes much-needed changes, McNeilly said it backtracks on a major, positive move the watchdog would have made under the Liberal government's 2018 policing overhaul: in-house investigation of all complaints by 2023, making their probes fully independent.

Wikipedia cite:

{{cite news | first = Wendy | last = Gillis | title = Civilian oversight is taking 'a step backwards' in Ford's overhaul, outgoing police watchdog says | url = https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2019/03/30/civilian-oversight-is-taking-a-step-backwards-in-fords-overhaul-outgoing-police-watchdog-says.html | work = Toronto Star | date = March 30, 2019 | accessdate = April 24, 2019 }}