Please note that only some contents have been translated into English. If you wish to consult the complete version of the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes website, please refer to the French version.
Decision-making and functional autonomy make BEI an independent agency, which contributes to public confidence. The entire team working to fulfill the agency’s mandate has a duty to maintain the distance required and perform its duties with impartiality.
BEI investigators are peace officers when they perform their investigative duties. As such, they have all the powers granted to police officers (including the powers set out in the Criminal Code) anywhere in Québec.
The investigation of an event starts as soon as BEI takes charge of it and ends when the final report is sent to the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales, who determines whether a charge will be laid.