Rights and safety at work

Police ethics in Quebec: the code, the Commissioner and complaints against a police officer

What the Quebec police code of ethics says, who it covers, how to file a complaint with the Commissioner and what sanctions the Tribunal can impose.

Full guide: Police oversight in Quebec

October 15, 2026 · Lire en français

Rights and safety at work

Police ethics in Quebec govern how a police officer behaves in dealings with the public. The system rests on the Code de déontologie des policiers du Québec (the police code of ethics), on the Commissaire à la déontologie policière (Police Ethics Commissioner), who receives each complaint, and on the Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière (police ethics tribunal), which imposes sanctions. This text applies to women and men alike.

Who is covered

Section 126 of the Police Act (chapter P-13.1), up to date as of August 12, 2026 on LégisQuébec, applies the chapter on ethics to several groups.

Every police officer
Every wildlife protection officer, a peace officer under the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife
Every special constable
Every highway safety officer
Every person in authority over these people

The Commissioner's annual report adds the senior officers and investigators of the Anti-Corruption Commissioner, UPAC (Quebec's anti-corruption unit), and of the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes. A police officer who resigns, is dismissed or retires remains subject to the Commissioner for acts committed while on duty (section 151).

The police code of ethics

The Code de déontologie des policiers du Québec (P-13.1, r. 1), up to date as of June 1, 2026, sets out the duties and standards of conduct of police officers in their relations with the public (section 1). Any breach is a derogatory act that may lead to a sanction (section 4). Its main duties read as follows.

Section 5: behave in a way that preserves the trust and respect the position requires, for example identifying oneself on request and staying polite
Section 6: avoid any form of abuse of authority, including using more force than necessary
Section 7: respect the authority of the law and the courts and cooperate in the administration of justice
Section 8: perform duties with integrity
Section 9: act with disinterest and impartiality and avoid conflicts of interest
Section 10: respect the rights of any person in custody
Section 11: use a weapon and any other equipment with care and judgment

The Police Ethics Commissioner

The Commissioner receives and examines complaints and reports, and plays a prevention and education role (section 128 of the Police Act). The government appoints the Commissioner from among lawyers who have been members of the Bar for at least 10 years (section 129), for a renewable term of up to five years (section 130). According to the highlights of its Rapport annuel de gestion 2024-2025, it has 57 staff members, split between Quebec City and Montreal.

Filing a complaint

A person present during a police intervention, or targeted by the officer's conduct, may file a complaint. Anyone else may file a report, anonymously if needed (section 143). A complaint is made in writing or, if the Commissioner allows it, orally. The deontologie-policiere.gouv.qc.ca site offers an online form. The Commissioner's staff must help anyone who asks to put their complaint into words (section 144).

The deadline is one year from the event or from learning of it (section 150).

The steps

Preliminary analysis: within 40 days, the Commissioner decides to send the complaint to conciliation, to keep it under its own authority or to reject it (section 149)
Conciliation: every complaint goes to conciliation, with some exceptions, and the work must be completed within 45 days (sections 147 and 159). The conciliator cannot be or have been a police officer (section 154). A settled complaint is not mentioned in the officer's file (section 163)
Investigation: it establishes whether there are grounds for a citation (section 167). The report is due within six months, barring exceptional circumstances (section 176)
Decision: the Commissioner rejects the complaint, cites the officer before the Tribunal or sends the file to the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (section 178)

The complainant may ask the Tribunal to review a rejection after investigation, within 30 days (section 181).

The Tribunal and sanctions

The Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière has exclusive jurisdiction over police ethics citations (section 194). It is made up of lawyers who have been members of the Bar for at least 10 years (section 198). Its site states that the Tribunal and the Commissioner are independent of each other. It reports 125 decisions rendered in 2024-2025.

Section 234 sets out the sanctions, for each count.

A reprimand
A suspension without pay of up to 60 working days
A demotion
A dismissal

The Tribunal may also impose training or a professional development course. An officer who has left the job may be declared unfit to work as a peace officer for up to five years. A final decision may be appealed, with leave, to the Court of Québec (section 241).

The 2024-2025 figures

The Commissioner's Rapport annuel de gestion 2024-2025 gives these results for the fiscal year.

Item	Number
Complaints received	2,734
Reports received	50
Investigations ordered	196
Complaints that led to a citation	59
Police officers and other peace officers cited	87

Source: Commissaire à la déontologie policière, Rapport annuel de gestion 2024-2025, fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.

The report mentions an average of 228 complaints per month.

Ethics, criminal law and the BEI

A criminal complaint goes to a police force and the criminal courts, and the Commissioner itself refers the matter to the appropriate police force if it appears a criminal offence may have been committed (section 149). The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes investigates when a person dies, is seriously injured or is injured by a firearm used by a police officer during an intervention or while in police custody (section 289.1).

This text summarizes public documents. It is not legal advice.

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Frequently asked questions

What is police ethics?

It is the set of duties and standards of conduct for police officers in their dealings with the public. These rules are in the Code de déontologie des policiers du Québec, adopted under the Police Act. The Police Ethics Commissioner and the Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière apply them.

How do you file a police ethics complaint?

The complaint goes to the Police Ethics Commissioner, in writing or, if it allows, orally. Its site offers an online form. The deadline is one year from the event or from learning of it.

What is a police officer not allowed to do?

The Code lists prohibitions in sections 5 to 11. For example, an officer must not use abusive language, refuse to show identification on request, use more force than necessary or point a weapon without justification. The full list is on LégisQuébec.

What does section 5 of the police code of ethics say?

It requires the officer to behave in a way that preserves the trust and respect the position requires. It notably prohibits obscene or abusive language, refusing to show identification, failing to wear the required identification, abusive remarks based on a ground of discrimination and lack of respect or courtesy.

Who is the Police Ethics Commissioner?

It is the body that receives complaints, headed by a lawyer who has been a member of the Bar for at least 10 years, appointed by the government for up to five years. It has 57 staff members according to its 2024-2025 report.

Where do you file a complaint against a police officer?

For the conduct of a police officer in Quebec, the ethics complaint goes to the Police Ethics Commissioner. A criminal complaint goes to a police force. The Commissioner also receives complaints against special constables, highway safety officers and wildlife protection officers.