Quebec Police Act: what it says to a police officer, title by title
The Police Act (P-13.1) in plain language: the police academy, police forces, hiring conditions, ethics, the BEI and the role of the minister.
Full guide: Police oversight in Quebec
Quebec's Police Act (chapter P-13.1) governs the work of a police officer: training, police forces, hiring conditions, ethics and the oversight of police activity. This text summarizes the act title by title, based on the version up to date as of August 12, 2026 on LégisQuébec. It applies to women and men police officers alike.
Where to find what in the act
| Subject | Sections |
|---|---|
| Training and the École nationale de police | 1 to 47 |
| Mission of police forces | 48 and 49 |
| Sûreté du Québec | 50 to 68 |
| Municipal police forces and levels of service | 69 to 89 |
| Indigenous, Naskapi and Cree police forces | 90 and following |
| Special constables | 105 to 111 |
| Hiring conditions, incompatibilities | 115 to 125 |
| Ethics, discipline and integrity | 126 to 263 |
| Inspection and investigations by the minister | 264 to 289 |
| Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes | 289.1 and following |
| Responsibilities of the minister | 304 and following |
The ranges follow the LégisQuébec table of contents, up to date as of August 12, 2026.
Title I: training
Section 7 establishes the École nationale de police du Québec (Quebec's police academy). Under section 10, the École has exclusive responsibility for initial training in police patrol, investigation and police management, except training acquired in a DEC (college diploma) or an AEC (attestation of college studies) in Police Technology.
Title II: police forces
The mission
Police forces and each of their members have the mission of maintaining peace, order and public security, preventing and repressing crime and identifying offenders (section 48). In conducting investigations, they act completely independently. Police officers are peace officers throughout Quebec (section 49).
The Sûreté du Québec
The Sûreté du Québec (Quebec's provincial police) is the national police force. It acts under the authority of the Minister of Public Security and has jurisdiction throughout Quebec (section 50).
Municipal forces and levels of service
The territory of every local municipality falls under the jurisdiction of a police force (section 70). A municipal force provides a level of service based on the population served:
- Level 1: fewer than 100,000 inhabitants
- Level 2: 100,000 to 249,999 inhabitants
- Level 3: 250,000 to 499,999 inhabitants
- Level 4: 500,000 to 999,999 inhabitants
- Level 5: 1,000,000 inhabitants or more
The Sûreté du Québec provides level 6 services (section 70). In the Montreal and Quebec City metropolitan communities, the municipal force provides at least level 2 (section 71). Outside metropolitan areas, a municipality of 50,000 inhabitants or more has a municipal force, and a smaller municipality is served by the Sûreté (section 72).
Indigenous police forces
One or more Indigenous communities, each represented by its band council, may enter into an agreement with the government to establish or maintain a police force (section 90). These police forces are not required to provide one of the levels in section 70 (section 72).
Special constables
Special constables have a mission similar to that of police officers, within the limits of their instrument of appointment (section 105). They are peace officers within those limits (section 106).
Title III: becoming and remaining a police officer
Section 115 sets the minimum hiring conditions:
- Be a Canadian citizen
- Be of good moral character
- Not have been found guilty of a Criminal Code offence, in any place
- Hold the police patrol diploma of the École nationale de police du Québec, or meet its equivalence standards
The full path is described in How to become a police officer in Quebec.
The function of police officer is incompatible with those of bailiff, collection agent and with functions that require a licence under the Loi sur la sécurité privée (section 117). A police officer who holds another job or earns other income from property or a business discloses it to the director, and submits a report every year before April 1 (section 118). Section 119 provides for the dismissal of a police officer found guilty of certain criminal acts.
Title IV: ethics and discipline
The Commissaire à la déontologie policière receives and examines complaints and reports against a police officer (section 128). The Tribunal administratif de déontologie policière rules on ethics citations (section 194). The Code de déontologie des policiers du Québec is adopted by government regulation (section 127).
Title V: external oversight
The minister provides a general inspection service for police forces (section 268) and may investigate any police force (section 279). An independent investigation is held when a person, other than an on-duty police officer, dies, suffers a serious injury or is injured by a firearm used by a police officer during an intervention or detention (section 289.1). The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes is a specialized police force responsible for these investigations (section 289.5).
Title VI: the Minister of Public Security
The minister determines the main policy directions for police organization and crime prevention (section 304). Section 356 makes the minister responsible for the administration of the act.
This text summarizes the act in plain language. It is neither legal advice nor union advice. Only the text published on LégisQuébec is authoritative.
Further reading
- UPAC: the anti-corruption police investigator in Quebec
- GTI: the tactical intervention group for police officers in Quebec
- Police officer job postings
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Frequently asked questions
What law governs the police in Quebec?
It is the Police Act, chapter P-13.1 of the laws of Quebec. It governs training, the organization of police forces, conditions of practice, ethics and external oversight. The Minister of Public Security is responsible for its administration (section 356).
What is the new Police Act?
The Police Act dates from 2000 (chapter 12 of the statutes of 2000) and is amended regularly. The LégisQuébec historical notes show many amendments made in 2023 (chapter 20 of the statutes of 2023). The version up to date as of August 12, 2026 includes these changes.
What does section 48 of the Police Act say?
It sets the mission of police forces: maintaining peace, order and public security, preventing and repressing crime and identifying offenders. It adds that police forces act completely independently in their investigations.
What does section 119 of the Police Act say?
It provides for the automatic dismissal of a police officer or special constable found guilty, by a final judgment, of a criminal act prosecutable only by indictment. For an offence also prosecutable by summary conviction, the sanction is dismissal, unless the officer shows that particular circumstances justify another sanction.
What does section 262 of the Police Act say?
A police officer met as a witness about a complaint against another police officer must provide a full statement and attest to being its author. The officer may be assisted by a lawyer. This statement cannot be used against the officer, except in a case of perjury.
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Sources
- LégisQuébec, Police Act (chapter P-13.1), sections 7, 10, 48 to 50, 69 to 72, 90, 105, 106, 115, 117 to 119, 127, 128, 194, 262, 268, 279, 289.1, 289.5, 304 and 356, up to date as of August 12, 2026, consulted on October 15, 2026