Ontario cuts SIU oversight of off-duty police sexual assault complaints, sparking reporting fears

The 2020 amendment to the Special Investigations Unit Act removed most off-duty sexual assault allegations from the civilian watchdog, prompting worries that fewer victims will come forward.

A 2020 revision to the Special Investigations Unit Act limited the Ontario civilian oversight body’s jurisdiction, moving most off-duty sexual assault complaints to municipal or provincial police forces. Data scraped from the SIU case-status portal show a drop in sexual-assault investigations after the law took effect, with the highest number recorded in 2021. Advocates fear the shift will deter survivors from reporting and make it harder to gauge the prevalence of police-related sexual violence, especially since off-duty cases previously accounted for more than 40 % of SIU investigations.

Police Association of Ontario president Mark Baxter said no province-wide data exist on how many such cases are now handled by police, while experts like Danielle McNabb and Kate Puddister warn the reduced oversight hampers transparency. Lawyer Ava Williams argues the SIU’s independence helps balance the power disparity between victims and officers. Former SIU director Howard Morton called the narrowing of the watchdog’s remit a “huge mistake,” underscoring ongoing debate over accountability mechanisms.