Decision Regarding Findings Report INV-24-21 Concerning Policing Provided by the Ontario Provincial Police
Decision By: Ryan Teschner, Inspector General of Policing
I. INTRODUCTION
1This decision addresses a complaint received by the Inspector General of Policing against the Ontario Provincial Police (“OPP”), alleging that the OPP failed to respond to a report about a commercial vehicle driving dangerously. An inspector with Ontario’s Inspectorate of Policing (“IoP”) investigated the complaint to determine whether the OPP failed to comply with the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, SO 2019, c 1, Sch 1 (the “Act”) or its regulations.
2Following a review of the inspector’s Findings Report,1 which is attached to this Decision as Appendix A, and for the reasons that follow, I conclude that the OPP has complied with the Act and the regulations and provided adequate and effective policing.
II. BACKGROUND
3On May 9, 2024, the complainant called the OPP to report that a white commercial vehicle with Alberta license plates was speeding and tailgating eastbound on Highway 417 toward Renfrew. The complainant states that he did not see any OPP vehicles on the highway following his call for a police response.
4The OPP Computer-Aided Dispatch records indicate that the complainant’s call came in at 9:11 a.m., and that the OPP Provincial Communication Centre dispatched an officer to respond to the call one minute later, at 9:12 a.m.
5The officer dispatched to the call completed a report indicating that he was already on Highway 417 when he was dispatched to respond to the call and, given his location and driving direction, he would have seen the commercial vehicle. However, it was difficult, while driving, to discern the specific license plates of any of the white commercial vehicles he saw. The officer attempted to contact the complainant directly to obtain more descriptors of the vehicle and an updated location, but the complainant did not answer his call. No other complaints were received by the OPP related to the vehicle.
6The officer indicated that in the entirety of his travels after being dispatched, he did not observe any white commercial vehicles driving in a manner that would constitute an offence.
III. ISSUES
7The sole issue is whether the OPP provided “adequate and effective” policing as defined in the Act.
IV. ANALYSIS
8Following a review of the facts and applicable law, I find, on a balance of probabilities, that the OPP provided “adequate and effective” policing with respect to this incident.
9Section 11 of the Act describes the requirements for “adequate and effective” policing:
11 (1) Adequate and effective policing means all of the following functions provided in accordance with the standards set out in the regulations, including the standards with respect to the avoidance of conflicts of interest, and with the requirements of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Code:
Crime prevention.
Law enforcement.
Maintaining the public peace.
Emergency response.
Assistance to victims of crime.
Any other prescribed policing functions.
10Dispatching members of a police service is an “other prescribed policing function” which has statutorily defined standards. These standards are contained in the Adequate and Effective Policing (General) regulation, O Reg 392/23, which requires:
15 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 6 of subsection 11 (1) of the Act, adequate and effective policing includes dispatching members of a police service.
(2) The following standards for adequate and effective policing, relating to the dispatching of members of a police service, are prescribed:
A communications centre that operates 24 hours a day with one or more communications operators or dispatchers to answer emergency calls for service and that maintains constant two-way voice communication capability with police officers who are on patrol or responding to emergency calls must be used for the purposes of dispatching members of a police service.
A member of a police service must be available 24 hours a day to supervise police communications and dispatch services.
Police officers on patrol must be provided with portable two-way voice communication capability that allows the police officers to be in contact with the communications centre when away from their vehicle or on foot patrol.
A member of a police service who supervises communications operators and dispatchers must have successfully completed the training prescribed by the Minister on that subject.
(3) Every chief of police shall establish written procedures on communications and dispatch services.
11There is no evidence in the Findings Report to suggest the OPP failed to comply with the prescribed standards for dispatch. In fact, the OPP dispatched a response to the emergency call for service within only one minute of receiving the complainant’s report. Given the nature of the complaint – that a commercial vehicle was driving in a dangerous manner, which could result in harm to the driver and others on the road – the OPP should be commended for mobilizing this quickly.
12Furthermore, respecting the delivery of law enforcement, the individual police officer that was dispatched did everything possible to locate the vehicle. The officer patrolled and attempted to locate and observe the vehicle to determine whether intervention was necessary. The officer also attempted to contact the complainant directly for additional information when it became clear that any additional information about the vehicle or its updated location would assist. Unfortunately, the complainant did not answer the officer’s call. Despite this, the OPP officer continued to drive through the relevant area in an effort to locate the suspect vehicle, but no vehicles matching the available description were driving in a manner that would require police intervention.
V. CONCLUSION
13There is no evidence that the OPP failed to meet the standards of “adequate and effective” policing in relation to the complainant’s call. To the contrary, the OPP clearly complied with the applicable standards related to dispatch and law enforcement contained in the Act and delivered adequate and effective policing in the circumstances.
Date: April 2, 2026 Original Signed By ____________________
Ryan Teschner
Inspector General of Policing
Appendix A: Findings Report
Ontario Provincial Police
Section 107(1)(a) Policing Complaint Investigation (INV-24-21)
Submitted to: Ryan Teschner, Inspector General of Policing of Ontario
Date: November 7, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICING AND THE INSPECTORATE OF POLICING 5
INTRODUCTION 5
OVERVIEW OF INVESTIGATION 6
The Complaint 6
The Subject Police Service 6
Applicable Legislative and Regulatory Provisions 6
SUMMARY OF THE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED 7
Complainant Information 7
Ontario Provincial Police Records 7
OPP Duty Report 7
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS 7
ABOUT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICING AND THE INSPECTORATE OF POLICING
The Inspector General of Policing drives improved performance and accountability in policing and police governance by overseeing the delivery of adequate and effective policing across Ontario. The Inspector General ensures compliance with the province’s policing legislation and standards, and has the authority to issue progressive, risk-based and binding directions and measures to protect public safety. Ontario's Community Safety and Policing Act embeds protections to ensure the Inspector General's statutory duty is delivered independently from government.
The Inspector General of Policing leads the Inspectorate of Policing (IoP). The IoP provides operational support to inspect, investigate, monitor, and advise Ontario’s police services, boards and special constable employers. By leveraging independent research and data intelligence, the IoP promotes leading practices and identifies areas for improvement, ensuring that high-quality policing and police governance is delivered to make everyone in Ontario safer.
In March 2023, Ryan Teschner was appointed as Ontario’s first Inspector General of Policing with duties and authorities under the Community Safety and Policing Act. Mr. Teschner is a recognized expert in public administration, policing and police governance.
For more information about the Inspector General of Policing or the IoP, please visit www.iopontario.ca.
INTRODUCTION
This is a report to the Inspector General of Policing by an inspector appointed by the Inspector General, who has completed an investigation under Part VII of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA).
OVERVIEW OF INVESTIGATION
The Complaint
A written complaint was forwarded by the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) to the Inspector General under the provisions of section 108 of the CSPA. This complaint was in relation to an allegation that the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) did not respond to a report of a dangerous vehicle travelling on Highway 417.
The Subject Police Service
Name of Police Service: Ontario Provincial Police
Service Headquarters: 777 Memorial Avenue, Orillia, ON L3V 7V3
Commissioner: Thomas Carrique
Commissioner since: April 19, 2019
Service Total Strength – Renfrew Detachment: (Actual & Authorized)
- Sworn - 56
- Civilian - 8
Geographic Service Area
- 7,357 Square Kilometers
- Community Population of approximately 106,000
Applicable Legislative and Regulatory Provisions
Section 11(1) of the CSPA provides that adequate and effective policing means all of the following functions provided in accordance with the standards set out in the regulations, including the standards with respect to the avoidance of conflicts of interest, and with the requirements of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Human Rights Code:
Crime prevention.
Law enforcement.
Maintaining the public peace.
Emergency response.
Assistance to victims of crime.
Any other prescribed policing functions.
Ontario Regulation 392/23: ADEQUATE AND EFFECTIVE POLICING (GENERAL) was reviewed having regard to the allegations made in the complaint.
SUMMARY OF THE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED
Complainant Information
The complainant indicated that he contacted the OPP in relation to a dangerous commercial vehicle travelling on Highway 417 toward Renfrew. The complainant further indicated that he travelled for approximately 100-kilometres and did not see the OPP pull the vehicle over.
Ontario Provincial Police Records
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) records show that on May 9, 2024, at 9:11 a.m., a phone call was received from the complainant indicating that a white Western Star tractor trailer with Alberta license plates was speeding and tailgating dangerously close.
At 9:12 a.m., the Provincial Communication Centre dispatched an officer to the call.
OPP Duty Report
The OPP officer who attended the radio call submitted an officer duty report. The report indicated that at 9:12 a.m., the officer was dispatched to the traffic complaint. The officer indicated in his duty report that at the time of receiving the call, he was a short distance away heading westbound on Highway 17, and that the vehicle in question would have been travelling toward his location. The officer noted that he was already on the highway when he received the radio call.
The officer indicated that as he was travelling westbound on Highway 17, he conducted observations of eastbound traffic. The officer noted that there were several white tractor/trailers on the highway and that it was difficult for him to determine the license plates of the passing trucks. As a result, the officer attempted to contact the complainant by telephone to obtain an updated location and any further descriptors for the vehicle. The officer indicated that the complainant did not answer his call, nor did it appear that the complainant, nor any other citizen, made any further calls to the OPP in relation to this traffic complaint.
The officer indicated that he continued to travel westbound to the location of the original complaint. He further indicated that in his travels he did not observe any vehicles driving in the way the complainant described.
INVESTIGATION FINDINGS
I make the following findings, relying on the information collected during the investigation and summarized in part above:
On May 9, 2024, the complainant contacted the OPP in relation to a traffic complaint
a. The call was received at 9:11 a.m., with information that a white Western Star tractor trailer, with Alberta license plates, was speeding and tailgating eastbound on Highway 17/417 toward Renfrew.
On May 9, 2024, at 9:12 a.m., the OPP Provincial Communication Centre dispatched an officer to the traffic complaint
a. The officer received the radio call at 9:12 a.m. and was already westbound on Highway 17/417.
b. The officer made observations of all tractor/trailers driving eastbound and did not observe any vehicle driving in the way the complainant described.
c. The officer attempted to call the complainant by telephone with no answer.
d. The officer did not receive any further information, nor were there any further calls in relation to the vehicle that the complainant reported.
Footnotes
- Section 123 of the Act requires an IoP inspector who completes an investigation of a complaint to report their findings to the Inspector General. This report is redacted to comply with the Publication of Findings Reports and Directions under Sections 123 and 125 of the Act Regulation, O Reg 317/24.