2006 Annual Report of the Military Police Complaints Commission

In the latest Weekly Checklist of Canadian government publications is the most recent annual report of the Military Police Complaints Commission of Canada.

The Weekly Checklist is a listing of book and serial titles which have been released each week by the Parliament of Canada, federal departments, and Statistics Canada. It is produced each week by the Depository Services Program.

The Military Police Complaints Commission was established on December 1, 1999 to provide independent, civilian oversight of Canada’s military police service. It is similar to the civilian agencies or police boards that oversee police services across Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other countries.

The Commission’s mandate is found in Part IV of Canada’s National Defence Act,which sets out how complaints about the conduct of military police and complaints of interference with military police investigations are to be handled.

"By way of highlights of 2006, the number of complaints under review or investigation by the Military Police Complaints Commission was double the number from 2005. Of the investigations completed by the Commission during 2006, several will have signifi cant, long-term impact on military police practices".

"As an example, the Commission’s investigations of interference complaints in 2006 have led the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal to revise the Military Police Policies and Technical Procedures to clarify the proper role and responsibilities of military police supervisors in respect of supervisory interventions. These investigations have also added clarity to the proper relations between the military police and the chain of command. In bringing a clearer defi nition to what does and does not constitute prohibited interference, it is hoped that both command staff and military police personnel will benefi t in their relationships and the performance of their duties".

"In 2006, the Commission undertook the first public hearing in its seven-year history which will be reported on early in 2007 – and launched three new public interest investigations into especially serious or broadly publicized complaints about military police conduct. One of these cases – involving a complaint by a former sniper with the Canadian Forces who was honoured by the U.S. military for his outstanding service in Afghanistan – was the subject of national media attention in 2006, including the cover of Maclean’s magazine".