Inexperienced WRPS officers receive the majority of public complaints: Report
Posted Feb 20, 2025 07:34:55 AM.
Last Updated Feb 20, 2025 11:08:40 AM.
The latest statistics from the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) indicate that officers with the least amount of experience are the ones who receive the most complaints from the public.
Complaints were discussed in a WRPS Board meeting on Wednesday, where Inspector Eddie Lewis of the Professional Standards division, explained the report.
In 2024, the force received 119 complaints through the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA), an independent civilian oversight agency that handles public complaints, and 126 complaints received through contact sheets.
More than half of all complaints received were against officers with 5 years of experience or less.
To respond to this statistic, the police service will look to improve the handling of complaints and promote mindful conduct with the public when responding to calls from the public.
When compared to complain statistics from 2023, the amount of complaints has decreased compared to the volume of total calls for service.
The regional police service was busy in 2024; they received nearly 350,000 calls for service throughout the year.
“We are a human service organization, just dealing with conflicts and challenges every day,” said Chief of Police Mark Crowell. “The work that we’re putting into resolving issues with our community is considerable and the results speak for themselves.”
The service received approximately 100 letters of thanks from the public.
