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Part of Police oversight

Policing complaints, appeals and compliments

If you are not satisfied with the services or policies of a municipal or Indigenous police service, you can file a complaint.

Municipal police complaint

If you are not satisfied with the services or policies of a municipal or Indigenous police service, or the conduct of a police officer, the Police Act gives you the right to complain about it.

You can file a complaint about the police one year from when the incident took place or the conduct complained of took place or when you first knew it occurred.

A complaint may be submitted to the chief of police or the relevant police commission. Complaints against a chief of police are sent to the police commission.

The police service will review your complaint and may offer informal resolution and investigate as required. If your complaint is formally investigated, the chief of police will send you a disposition letter to let you know the outcome.

Contact the relevant police service to find out about this process.

Government of Alberta officials do not conduct independent investigations into complaints about municipal police.

RCMP complaint

You can file a complaint about the RCMP member directly with the:

Resolution concerns

If you have a concern with how your complaint was resolved, contact the municipality responsible for that detachment.

Government of Alberta officials do not conduct independent investigations into complaints about the RCMP.

Sheriff complaint

You can file a complaint about a member of the Alberta Sheriffs Branch with the Investigative Services Team. Members of the Sheriffs Branch include the Sheriff Highway Patrol and the Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Service.

Peace officer complaint

You can file a complaint about a peace officer with the head of the organization that employs the peace officer.

Peace Officer Program

Complaint process

Find out how to file a complaint:

To file a complaint against an Indigenous or a municipal police service:

Fill out the Municipal Police Complaints form.

Provincial public complaint director

The provincial public complaint director does not investigate complaints.

The provincial public complaint director can give you information about the police complaints process.

The director may also receive complaints about police in Alberta and then refer your complaint to the appropriate organization.

Appeal process

How you appeal a decision about your complaint is based on whether the complaint is related to a municipal or Indigenous police service, the RCMP, a sheriff or a peace officer.

How you appeal a decision about a police complaint is also based on the nature of the complaint and whether it is a conduct complaint or a policy or service complaint.

Municipal police

If your complaint was investigated, the disposition letter from the chief of police will explain that – from the date you receive the letter – you:

  • have the right to appeal the decision to the Law Enforcement Review Board for officer conduct complaints, or to the Police Commission for policy and service complaints
  • have 30 days to file an appeal

Filing an Appeal with LERB

RCMP review

If you are not satisfied with how the RCMP handled your complaint, you have 60 days to ask the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the RCMP to review it.

Sheriff appeal

You have 30 days to file an appeal with the Sheriffs Appeals Delegate if you are not satisfied with the decision about your complaint.

Peace officer appeal

If you are not satisfied with the complaint decision of the organization that employs the peace officer, you have 30 days to file an appeal with the Director of Law Enforcement.

Peace Officer Program

Compliments

To compliment a police service or a police officer who went out of his or her way to help you, use the Alberta Connects message system.

Contact

Connect with the provincial public complaint director.

Email: [email protected]