The most significant round of reforms related to civilian involvement in the handling of complaints against the police in Ontario occurred during the 1980’s, after at least a decade of hostile and even volatile police-community relations, compounded by findings of procedural irregularities and criminal wrongdoing in some agencies. Toronto established a Public Complaints Commissioner. The Commissioner had limited powers, although it had a political legitimacy that achieved international status. The most recent wave of reforms contrasted with the experience of the 1980’s in that it emerged in the absence of community concerns over the handling of public complaints against the police. The Conservatives came to power in 1995 and embarked on an agenda of downsizing, devolution, and dismantling of most public services within provincial jurisdiction. As a result, the legislation enacted regarding the police resulted in a complete internal handling of complaints against the police and the elimination of meaningful civilian review. In addition to these changes, the complaints system now includes both some weak improvements and some new problems. The analysis concludes that while other provinces and countries are moving toward stronger forms of oversight for citizen complaints, police agencies in Ontario are increasingly immune from political, legal, and moral accountability. Footnotes and 26 references