About the Code of Police Practice

The Code of Police Practice guidelines are guides to good police practice for situations encountered in the daily work of first line officers. The Code has been created by the Police Futures Group for Canadian police services. These guidelines do not replace policy and procedure documentation for police services nor are they intended to represent the applicable law in a given situation. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police does not warrant the legality of the content of the Code. It is intended for use as a guide to decision-making and not as an operational directive.

The Police Futures Group, established in 1997, is a policy think-tank for Canadian policing under the direction of Toni Murray. Its goal is to provide a forum in which the Canadian police community and stakeholders within Canadian society can discuss and share information related to the evolution of Canadian policing. The Police Futures Group is attached to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

The Police Futures Group wishes to thank the contributors to the Code of Police Practice and their organizations. Special mention goes to RCMP Superintendent Bob Connell, OPP Sergeant Major Gerry Butler, Calgary Police Service Staff Sergeant Cal Johnston (now Chief of Regina Police Service), Montreal Urban Community Police Commander Jean Cousineau, and Jane Richardson, technical writer.

Copyright for the Code of Police Practice belongs to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, 1999.