PEI Police Commissioner

03/07/2022

Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who can make a complaint under the Police Act?

A. Anyone who is 18 years of age and over and has been directly affected by the conduct of a municipal police officer, provincial conservation officer, chief of a municipal police service, instructing officer of the Atlantic Police Academy, the Director of the Atlantic Police Academy or UPEI security police officer can make a complaint. A parent or guardian may file a complaint on behalf of a person who is under the age of 18. Where the person directly affected by the conduct is mentally incompetent, a parent or guardian may make a compliant on the person's behalf.

Q. Can I make a complaint against an RCMP officer in PEI under the Police Act?

A. No, the Prince Edward Island Police Act complaints process does not apply to the RCMP. As a national entity, there is a separate process for addressing complaints about members of the RCMP.
If the complaint is against the RCMP, you can make it at any RCMP Detachment in Canada. If you are uncomfortable making the complaint at an RCMP office, or if you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the RCMP, you can contact the Civilian Review and Commission for the RCMP (CRCC). The CRCC is an independent agency created by Parliament to ensure that public complaints made about the conduct of RCMP members are examined fairly and impartially.

Anyone with concerns about the conduct of an RCMP member can call the CRCC at 1-800-665-6878, or email them at complaintscommission.ca. More information on the complaints process and an online form to make a complaint against the RCMP are available on the CRCC website at: www.complaintscommission.ca.

Q. What type of behavior can be the basis of a complaint filed under the Police Act?

A. If you have reasonable grounds for believing the conduct of a municipal police officer, chief of a municipal police service, provincial conservation officer, instructing officer, the Director of the Atlantic Police Academy or a UPEI security police officer violates the Police Act Code of Professional Conduct and Discipline, you may file a complaint.

Q. Where can I find more information regarding the Police Act and Code of Professional Conduct and Discipline?

A. Visit the our website - www.policecommissioner.pe.ca

Learn more on making a complaint about a provincial conservation officer, police officer, or chief of police through the Office of the Police Commissioner.

09/27/2018

Thomas Jarmyn has been appointed as Prince Edward Island’s new police commissioner and will begin his work on October 2.

A veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, Jarmyn practiced law in Nova Scotia and Ontario and served as counsel to the federal minister of public safety. More recently, he moved to Prince Edward Island to chair the province’s Veterans Review and Appeal Board, a role he concluded on July 1.

“We were particularly impressed by Mr. Jarmyn’s qualifications, and we were pleased to recommend his appointment with great confidence,” said Charlottetown Police Chief Paul Smith, who was part of the selection panel of police and justice representatives. “His diverse background in adjudicating and decision-making makes him a good fit for PEI’s needs in the role of police commissioner.”

The police commissioner is an independent statutory office with a mission to investigate and resolve public complaints of unprofessional conduct against police (other than RCMP) in a timely, fair, reasonable, and impartial manner.

Police Commissioner Gerard Mitchell’s second term as police commissioner has expired. He has served Islanders for nine years in the role, including a one year extension to allow for the recruiting of a new commissioner.

“Commissioner Gerard Mitchell has earned the respect, confidence, and trust of the policing community and we are grateful to him for his service to Islanders,” said Justice and Public Safety Minister Jordan Brown. “We are pleased that Deputy Commissioner Ridlington will assist Mr. Jarmyn through the transition period in order to ensure the Office of the Police Commissioner is positioned to continue its role in maintaining public confidence in PEI’s police services.”

07/30/2018

What happens when I file a complaint under the Police Act?
When you file a complaint you will receive a letter confirming that your complaint has been received and also a document which describes the complaint process. If an investigation determines there is evidence the Code of Professional conduct and Discipline was violated, the officer(s) of the Chief would be subject to the disciplinary and corrective measures set out in the Code of Professional conduct and Discipline. If the complaint is not of a serious nature, there will be an attempt to informally resolve the complaint. All decisions will be provided in writing and a reason for the decision will be provided.

07/23/2018

Who can make a complaint under the Police Act?
Anyone 18 years of age and over and has been directly affected by the conduct of the officer or the chief of police can make a complaint. A parent or guardian may file a complaint on behalf of a person who is under the age of 18. Where the person directly affected by the conduct of the police officer of the chief of police is mentally incompetent, a parent or guardian may make a complaint on the person's behalf.

07/16/2018

Did you know that................The Office of the Police Commissioner is an independent statutory body with power to review and investigate complaints of misconduct made pursuant to the Police Act of PEI.
It's mission is to provide Civilian Oversight of police conduct that builds public confidence in policing and protects the rights of civilian and police officers.

07/09/2018

What if my complaint is about the Chief of a Municipal Police Service?
You can contact the chief administrator of the municipality where the chief works to resolve the complaint. Another option is to make a written complaint to the Manager, Office of the Police Commissioner. You must write out the complaint, sign it and ensure it is delivered to the Manager, Office of the Police Commissioner, within twelve months of the incident.

07/03/2018

If I have a complaint about a municipal police officer what can I do?
You can speak to the police officer's supervisor to try resolve it.
You can make a written complaint to the chief of the police service where the officer works. The Chief will review it and attempt to resolve it.
If you are not satisfied with the decision of the chief you can contact the Manager of the Office of the Police Commissioner and ask that the decision be reviewed.
Full details available on our website: www:policecommissioner.pe.ca

06/29/2018

Did you know that if you have reasonable grounds for believing the conduct of a municipal police officer or chief of police goes against the Code of Professional Conduct and Discipline, you may file a complaint? The Code of Professional Conduct and Discipline can be found on our website:www:policecommissioner.pe.ca.as well as procedures to make the complaint or resolve it informally.

02/02/2018

Friday, February 2, is Paul Stetson's last day of work as manager of the office of the PEI Police Commissioner, a role in which he has served for the past 8 years. Paul previously served as coordinator/manager of PEI Crime Stoppers for 13 years. Before that, he was a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police​ for 31 years. On Wednesday, I stopped by to present Paul with a certificate thanking him for "52 Years of Dedication, Outstanding Service and Commitment to protecting our citizens."