Investigation and Decision Process

Complaints against police officers may be resolved through informal resolution or formal investigation.

Once you make a complaint, you will receive an update every 45 days as to the status of the investigation. Once an investigation is concluded, you will be notified of the results in writing.

Informal Resolution

• Citizens can contact the Professional Standards Section with concerns or complaints
• Intake investigators will gather information, explain the police officer’s actions if possible, and explore resolution options
• Most concerns are resolved informally through:
  • explanation of police procedures
  • informal conversations between intake investigators and the complainant
  • through intervention from the officer’s supervisor

We encourage citizens to consider informal resolutions whenever appropriate. These informal resolutions allow citizens to learn about police processes and provide officers with immediate feedback on their performance.

If a matter cannot be resolved informally to the citizen’s satisfaction, and it is something that meets the complaint criteria under the Police Act, it is formally investigated.

Formal Investigation

Formal investigations are initiated when:

• A citizen files a formal complaint
• The Chief or their designate orders an investigation
• Someone makes criminal allegations against an officer
• An incident requires review

Investigations require submission of all available evidence early in the process. To request copies of any documents, reports, videos, etc. that you want and are entitled to under the Access to Information Act, please contact the CPS Access & Privacy Section.

Investigations assess conduct under:

• The Police Act and Police Service Regulation
• Federal or provincial statutes, with potential referral to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service

Cases where police actions have resulted in serious injury or death, as well as any serious or sensitive allegations of police misconduct, may be investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT).

At the end of a formal investigation by the Professional Standards Section, the Chief of Police first decides whether the allegations are serious or not serious.

Criteria for Serious Complaints

In deciding whether a complaint is of a serious nature, the Chief considers a number of factors, outlined in Section 19 of the Police Service Regulation.

Review the flow chart used to determine whether a complaint is of a serious nature.

Less Serious Complaints

If the Chief deems the complaint not serious, the Chief’s decision and disciplinary actions are final and cannot be appealed.

The citizen who filed the complaint will receive a written copy of the Chief’s decision.

Serious Complaints

If the alleged misconduct is of a serious nature and there is enough evidence to reasonably believe the misconduct occurred, the Chief orders the matter to a Disciplinary Hearing.

Disciplinary Hearings:

• Are presided over by a retired senior police officer or retired judge
• May include witness testimony and evidence presentation

Decisions made in Disciplinary Hearings can be appealed to the Law Enforcement Review Board.

The citizen who filed the complaint will receive a written copy of the Disciplinary Hearing decision.

Disciplinary actions can be taken if, after reviewing the evidence, the Presiding Officer believes, based on a balance of probabilities, that police misconduct occurred.

The focus of this discipline is correction and education rather than punishment, where possible.