Overview
The Inspector General of Policing has initiated a province‑wide inspection to examine police integrity and anti‑corruption practices across Ontario’s policing sector, including municipal police services, police service boards, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
This inspection—the first of its kind in Canada—focuses on how police services and boards prevent, detect, respond to, and fortify their organizations against corruption, with the goal of reinforcing public trust and supporting high‑quality policing across the province.
To advance this work, the Inspector General of Policing has appointed the Honourable William Hourigan as the external inspector and established formal Terms of Reference to guide the inspection’s scope and approach.
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What the Inspection Examines
The inspection assesses how policing organizations prevent and address integrity and corruption risks in five core areas:
- Supervision and span of control
- Screening and vetting of police officers, at recruitment and throughout their careers
- Access to police databases and information systems
- Evidence and property management practices
- Substance abuse and fitness for duty
The inspection may examine additional issues if they arise in the course of the work.
This approach recognizes that strong integrity systems depend on effective governance, oversight, and internal controls—not only responses to incidents after they occur.
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Terms of Reference
Mr. Hourigan is responsible for carrying out the inspection, independently and objectively in accordance with the established Terms of Reference.
The Terms of Reference define:
- The scope and objectives of the inspection
- The authority of the external inspector
- The methods that may be used to collect and assess evidence
- Expectations related to fairness, rigour, and transparency
Mr. Hourigan now has the legal authorities to obtain all information from Ontario’s police services and boards that is required to conduct this work.
The inspection will be conducted in a manner that does not interfere with or compromise any ongoing police investigations or criminal proceedings.
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Public Updates
The inspection is expected to be completed within approximately 18 months. At its conclusion, Mr. Hourigan will submit his findings to the Inspector General of Policing for consideration. The Inspector General may then issue any legally-binding directions to police services and boards to address the inspection’s findings.
If issues arise during the inspection that require immediate corrective action, the Inspector General will be notified and may issue legally binding directions to the impacted police services and police service boards to ensure those directions are implemented.
The Inspectorate of Policing is committed to transparency throughout the inspection process. Updates on the inspection’s progress will be shared publicly on this page as the work advances.
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