TORONTO – Ontario’s top police watchdog is stepping down.
After five years as director of the Special Investigations Unit, Ian Scott will leave the organization this fall.
Scott’s office says he’ll be stepping down when his mandate ends in October, and a posting for Scott’s job went up on the Ontario Public Service website on Wednesday.
The SIU is an arm’s-length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.
During his time at the helm of the SIU, Scott has clashed with police on a number of occasions, prompting the head of the Toronto police officers’ union to call on Scott to step down.
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Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack said Wednesday that Scott’s departure will be an opportunity to restore confidence in police oversight.
The SIU has a full-time staff complement of approximately 50 in both investigative and administrative support roles, with an annual budget of approximately $7.5 million.
The director is responsible for investigations, and determining whether or not criminal charges should be laid against police officers the SIU investigates.
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Scott was appointed as director by the Ontario cabinet on October 16, 2008, for a five-year term.
Scott is a graduate of the University of Toronto, received his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Western Ontario, and was called to the Ontario bar in 1983.
He worked as Crown counsel for the Ministry of the Attorney General for over 16 years, and also worked as defence counsel in private practice specializing in criminal law and administrative law.
Before joining the SIU, Scott was involved in police oversight issues, both as a prosecutor of police officers and as a prosecutor of internal police disciplinary matters.
He has also represented police officers in fatality-related matters and in internal disciplinary proceedings.
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