An investigation into allegations of cronyism, harassment, and criminal activity within the Durham Regional Police Service has concluded, but the findings will not be made public. The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) initiated the investigation in 2019 after receiving substantial information suggesting that senior leaders, including former Chief Paul Martin, were favoring certain officers.

The OCPC's investigation was prompted by complaints that these favored officers, referred to internally as "the untouchables," were shielded from complaints regarding workplace harassment and criminal behavior. The commission expressed concerns about a "crisis of confidence" within the police force and appointed an administrator to oversee promotions and internal discipline.

A preliminary report released in 2019 indicated a significant mistrust of the service's leadership. Although the OCPC stated it lacked enough information to assess the validity of the allegations at that time, it noted that members of the service were discouraged from reporting misconduct due to fears of retaliation.

On Tuesday, Tribunals Ontario confirmed that the investigation was completed and the final report was submitted to the Durham police, the police service's board, and the Ministry of the Solicitor General. However, the agency declined to release the report to the public. Current Chief Peter Moreira expressed concerns about the report being classified as privileged and confidential, stating, "That is, in my view, problematic as it fails to answer questions that you and the community may have regarding the events, allegations, findings, and recommendations contained in their report."

Moreira has reached out to the Inspector General of Policing and the provincial watchdog for clarification on potential public reporting. A spokesperson for Tribunals Ontario stated that no further public comments would be made regarding the investigation.

In a statement, DRPS spokesperson Joanne McCabe noted that the report included several recommendations, many of which had already been identified and acted upon by the Command. She expressed disappointment that the OCPC did not publicly announce the completion of the report.

Several senior leaders at Durham police, including former Chief Paul Martin, have denied the allegations of favoritism and misconduct. Martin's lawyer previously described the claims as "baseless" and suggested they were made by disgruntled employees. Martin retired in 2020 while still under investigation.

In 2023, Deputy Chief Dean Bertrim faced professional misconduct charges related to the investigation, but those charges were later withdrawn. Other deputy chiefs and officers who were subjects of complaints have also left the service since the investigation began.

Patrick Watson, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto's criminology center, argues that the public deserves access to the OCPC's report. He highlighted the significant public expenditure on the investigation, estimating legal costs to be over $2 million. Watson emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and the importance of transparency in maintaining public trust in policing.

He stated, "These were very serious allegations ... and to simply say, ‘OK, yeah, we’ve closed the book on that,’ is probably not something that generates widespread trust in policing." Watson criticized the lack of public communication regarding the investigation's findings, suggesting it undermines efforts to build trust within the community.