Navigation Links
Media Room
Announcement
Commission Releases Final Report on Its First Public Interest Hearing
OTTAWA — On December 19th, 2007, the Military Police Complaints Commission (MPCC) released the final report of its first public interest hearing into a complaint regarding the conduct of Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS).
The report has twenty-four (24) wide ranging recommendations concerning systemic issues related to staffing, training, operating procedures and, most particularly, supervision within the CFNIS, Western Region. The Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), as head of the Military Police, accepted all the Commission's findings and recommendations. The Commission was informed that the changes to procedures and training have been made or are in progress. Of particular significance were recommendations made in the area of supervision and training in respect of the frailties of eyewitness identification, an important area of law in the prevention of wrongful convictions.
Despite the negative conclusions reached concerning the quality of the investigation, the Commission did not find any evidence upon which it could be reasonably concluded that the investigators were motivated by malice or that they in any way intended to mislead or deceive their superiors or the Crown Attorney as to the nature of their investigative product.
Established by Parliament in 1998, the role of the MPCC is to assure Canadians that allegations of police misconduct are investigated fully and that Canada's 1,200 military police officers are able to carry out their investigations free of interference.
- 30 -
Claude Dubois
Communications Officer
Military Police Complaints Commission
Telephone: (613) 947-5668
Email: claude.dubois@mpcc-cppm.gc.ca